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BOOK TABLE.

TO THE MOST WORTHY.-The Wesleyan University, at Middleton, Conn., recently conferred L. L. D. on Daniel Chace, who has

CORNELL'S HIGH SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY.

taught a good school for a quarter of a centu- This volume completes Cornell's series of Geory. Brown University, at the last Commence-graphies. The claims of this work to public ment, conferred L. L. D. upon John Kingsbu-favor are ry, of Providence, who has been a Teacher for thirty years. Such honors are a little too common, but we are glad to see them bestowed upon worthy men.

MASSACHUSETTS STATE REFORM SCHOOL FOR BOYS.-This School at present numbers 570 boys, of whom 140 work on the farm, 120 manufacture shoes, 116 sew and knit, 60 make cane seats, while the others are employed in the various departments of the Institution.Massachusetts educates all her children.

STATE REFORM SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, AT LANCASTER, MASS.-The exercises connected with the opening of this Institution, took place on the 27th of August. It is designed for the reformation of girls between the ages of seven and sixteen.

1. It is arranged on a truly inductive system.

2. Its arrangement is clear and practical. 3. It is interesting.

4. It avoids on the one hand multiplicity of facts, and on the other a meager outline of the subject.

5. It embraces a system of Reviews. 6. It embraces recent explorations and statistics.

It is creditable to the House that publishes it, and we think it will be found adapted to the. wants of our High Schools. The improvements made during the last few years in textbooks on Geography have been great, and this series embraces a large share of them. Published by D. Appleton & Co., 346 and 348 Broadway, New York.

TATE'S PHILOSOPHY.-This work by Prof The New Hampshire Journal of Edu-Tate, of the Kneller Training College, England cation will soon be published by the State As- is admirably adapted to High Schools and sociation. Friends of Education in N. Hamp- Academies. It has passed the ordeal of criti shire are making great effort to advance the cism in England, and we feel no hesitation in commending it in the strongest terms. In ad dition to the subjects embraced under the hea of Natural Philosophy, there is a fine treatis on Experimental Chemistry and an exposition

cause.

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The people of Monroe, Greene county, are making an effort to erect a School edifice, to cost about $10,000. Success to all such un-of those principles that relate to agriculture.dertakings. This we regard as a desirable feature. many of our country schools neither time no means admit of special attention to agricultura Chemistry, but with this work a taste may bị formed and such knowledge may be gained a.

MARRIED, at Racine, on the 5th inst., Mr. 0. D. W. ROBINSON to Miss ELVIRA SEARLE, teacher in the Racine High School.

We regret to hear that Mr. Geo. Me-will be of great value. The part on Astronom. Whorter, Principal of 1st Ward School, Mil- and the use of Globes we regard as of a specia waukee, was seriously injured a few days since, interest to teachers. by a fall from an embankment where the street had been lately graded. We hope to hear of his speedy recovery.

The whole work has been revised by C. CARTEE, Principal of Harvard School, Charles town, Mass., and is published by the enterpris ing House of Hickling, Swan & Brown, Boston

PELTON'S OUTLINE MAPS.-We wish to ca attention to the advertisement of J. II. ROLFI who offers great inducements to District Board

JAMES CRUIKSHANK has been appointed Resident Editor of the New York Teacher, in place of A. Wilder, who has become one of the Editors of the Journal of Education and to purchase Pelton's Outline Maps. Thes College Review.

maps are so well known and so generally ap

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proved by teachers, that it is not necessary to speak particularly of their merits. Every school in the State should be furnished with a set, and it will be well for teachers to direct attention to them. These Maps are not only useful in teaching Geography, but they are ornamental, adding much to the appearance of the school-room, when hung on the walls. We can assure our friends that they will find Mr. Rolfe doing all he promises, in an honorable

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manner.

NORTH CAROLINA.-We have received the first number of the North Carolina School Journal, edited by Hon. C. S. WILEY, Superintendent of Schools. In 1840 with a population of 753,419 the attendance upon the schools was less than 20,000, while in 1856 with a population of less than 1,000,000, the attendance was about 140,000. That is what we call progress. Let the light shine. The surest guarantee we can have of the continuance of our national prosperity is the establishment of a system of Public Instruction in each State. This is what will save the Union," and, let us add, we believe nothing else will.

DAVIES' UNIVERSITY ARITHMETIC.-We will only say in regard to this work, that after reading it with some attention, we concluded to put it to the only true test for a school book-that is, use in the school-room-which we have done with the most satisfactory result. In arrangement it is philosophical, in definitions clear and exact, in illustration admirable, and in the selection of questions all that a teacher can expect.

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Above we have a cut of a Globe manufactur

We would call the special attention of teach-ed by MERRIAM, MOORE & Co., Troy, New ers-those who want a book as an instrument, York, which for correctness, beauty of finish, with which to do good work-to this treatise, mounting and durability, we have never seen the result of years of toil and experience, on surpasssd. These Globes are rapidly gaining the part of a good teacher. Published by A. their way to public favor-and we would diS. Barnes & Co., New York. rect particular attention to them. Few of our SANDERS' HIGH SCHOOL READER.-We ex-schools are supplied with this very necessary pected a first rate reader, when the announce- article, and yet nothing is more important.ment was made that a High School Reader was The amount of useful instruction which may be in course of preparation by the Author of given by aid of a Globe, and the variety of Sanders' Series, and we have not been disap- problems that may be solved with it, make it pointed. The reputation this series has acquir- one of the first articles of apparatus that should ed, is a guarantee of its worth, and we think be purchased. It seems a waste of money to the last of the series will enhance that reputa- employ teachers to make a vain effort to teach tion. Published by Ivison & Phinney, New Geography without a Terrestrial Globe and a York. set of Outline Maps.

WISCONSIN

JOURNAL OF EDUCATION.

VOLUME I.-NOVEMBER, 1856.-NUMBER IX.

From the College Review.
READING AS AN ART.

BY REV. JOEL PARKER, D. D.,
Pastor of Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, N. Y.

I

propose, in this paper, to treat of reading, not as a means of acquiring knowledge from books, but simply as an artas a means of conveying precomposed thoughts and sentiments to the minds of others, in the best manner, by appropri

ate vocal utterance.

It is obvious that reading, like singing, may be performed in an attractive manner without study. This can be done, however, only by persons of extraordinary gifts. It is equally clear that the rules of art, and long and assiduous practice, and careful study, are indispensable to any one's reading with a cultivated and natural utterance.

A distinction may be properly taken here, between giving the highest example of good reading, and setting forth the The word elocution covers a general principles and processes by which the ground which embraces two things-art is to be acquired. Of the former I reading and speaking. Of these two arts, dare not pretend to be capable, while I so nearly related, reading is the more hope I may be able to offer suggestions difficult. One may speak with natural- of great consequence to those who have ness, and beauty, and force, and yet be not enjoyed the opportunity of long and unable to read, from a printed page or careful training under a competent teachmanuscript, only in a constrained, monot-er. If Pythagoras was too modest to deonous, and altogether artificial manner. nominate himself wise, and would only But he that can read well, since he is assume the name of a lover of wisdom, master of a good elocution, under the dis- it may become me in this connection to advantage of being obliged to call up the say that I do not profess to be a good thought by following the lines with the reader, but only a lover of good reading. eye, can certainly speak better when free It is singular that good reading should from such embarrassment. Hence good be so extensively regarded as an attracreading secures good speaking, while the tive accomplishment, and yet, that so few converse is not true. . One may speak persons should devote to the art any conwell without being able to read even re-siderable degree of study. Mrs. Kemble spectably. drew crowds by her cultivated reading,

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when she was obliged-if she would ability to read with a fair degree of fluplease the public in the themes chosen-ency, read better between the ages of to descend to a great deal that was mere nine and eleven than after their education mimicry; while men, delivering their is completed. In early childhood they own sentiments in precomposed words, are simple, and, if they comprehend read in so unskillful and unnatural a man- what they are reading, they are apt to utter ner, that their auditors grow drowsy un- the words and sentences in a natural and der the soporific influence, or become ut- agreeable manner. Further instruction, terly disgusted with their mouthing and in such quality and quantity as they comtheir bad emphasis. monly obtain at the schools, serves only to render them artificial-mere imitators of bad models.

an

This representation will not be regar

tempt to teach singing, drawing, or dancing with such slender preparations for their profession, not the least degree of success would be expected.

Why is it that so few persons pay any considerable attention to reading as art? Those who possess abundant means for the education of their children, expend ded as unkind toward teachers, when it large sums and devote a great length of is considered that the greater proportion time to accomplishments of less value.- of them do not profess to have studied A gentleman cheerfully lavishes from reading as an art. If any one should atfive hundred to a thousand dollars on the education of his daughter in music alone, and causes her to devote two or three lessons a week, under the best masters, for from three to seven years, that she may Before attempting to present the prinacquire an elegant accomplishment, and ciples of the art, and the processes of that, too, when it will not advance her successful culture, we must determine very much in any useful employment; what it is that constitutes good reading. while the same man will not expend three hundred dollars, with three years' which is more like a sister art than any If reading be compared with singing, study of two lessons a week, for accomplishing his son in the art of reading, although every one knows that a cultivated marked. Singing may delight an audiutterance will go farther to advance him

other, a characteristic difference may be

ence when it is not made the vehicle of

in his profession at the bar or in the pulpit, than anything else, save a good character and a respectable amount of professional and general knowledge. The reason is obvious. There is a want of faith in the good influence of cultivation, as applied to the art of reading. It is trary, achieves nothing, except as it carries thoughts into the mind of the hearnatural that these impressions should exist. As a general thing, those who have er, and impresses corresponding sentistudied reading are worse than others.ments on the heart.

any distinct thoughts. While it may send forth winged words with great executive force, the music alone can achieve a large share of the proper end of such a performance, without a single accent of vocal utterance. Reading, on the con

They are more likely to exhibit an af That reading, therefore, is the best fected precision, a measured and inflated which attracts least attention to itself, style, and an intolerable mouthing. It is and most to the ideas and sentiments unquestionably, a general fact that chil- which it is intended to convey to the dren, after they have once acquired an hearer.

Another kind may be commonly re

They read the following passage from

Act well your part, there all the honor lies.
Fortune, in men, has some small difference made,
The cobler aproned, and the parson gowned,
One flaunts in rags-one flutters in brocade;
The friar hooded, and the monarch crowned.
What differ more, you cry, than crown and
cowl?

"Honor and shame from no condition rise,

I'll tell you, friend-a wise man and a fool.
You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk,
Or cobler, like the parson, will be drunk ;
Worth makes the man, and want of it the fel-
low,
The rest is all but leather or prunella."

This view may be elucidated and impressed by a comparison of reading as a garded as quite defective, because the art medium of communicating mental phe- is carried to such a pitch as to leave the nomena, with glass as a medium of pre-hearer meditating only on the matter senting visible objects. Before you is a presented, or if turned from it to the manWINDOW-pane. You are asked to look ner of the reading, nothing else can be through it at yonder building. Your observed except some natural defect judgment is solicited in respect to the which had not been entirely overcome.— quality of the glass. If you tell me that To illustrate this point I will briefly deyou think it beautiful, and speak admir- scribe the reading of two distinguished livingly of the wavy ridges upon its surface, ing speakers who exemplify these two and the varied tints that adorn it, I shall styles of elocution respectively. immediately inform you that you have not comprehended the true purport of my Pope: inquiry. I wish to know your judgment of the value of a glass, in respect to the end for which it is employed as a medium of vision applied to the house in question. As soon as the matter is thus stated, you give a different answer. You say that it is a worthless pane of glass, and ought to be exchanged for another as near to perfect plainness and transparency as possible. The unevenness distorts the objects upon your gaze, and the tints invest them with an unreal coloring. You like better the adjacent pane in the terance, throughout. His tones are sweet and rich. Every syllable falls upon the same window. That is beautiful, you ear with a distinctness that makes the say. It presents objects in the perfection of nature. I ask you to place your whole passage appear as it would appear hand upon it. You attempt it. Your to the eye if it were printed in a golden hand passes through! There is no glass type, and in large, distinct letters. The there! I ask you, Is it better than the countenances of the whole audience are other? You reply, Yes. The most perlit up with a glow of admiration, and fect medium of vision is that which at- men retire speaking of the splendid recitracts no attention, but leaves the mind tation. They have forgotten Pope, in to rest on the object. Just so, that read- their admiration of a beautiful and coming is the best which presents thought manding voice. The other reader poswithout diverting any part of the mind's sesses a harsh voice, and a disagreeable attention to the elocution through which drawl in his utterance. As he proceeds, it is communicated. It follows from this his emphasis teaches you that "condi-: exposition of the nature of the art, that tion" is not the source of "Honor and a certain style of reading may elicit shame;" that you must act "well"great admiration, and, at the same time, that, that makes the "difference,” and be very artificial, and quite unadapted to the whole is so managed that the passion the ends of a just and true elocution. and force of the speaker are held in re

The first reads with a full sonorous ut

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