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Neither would I except the girls; for they tance. They should be taught how to colsurely require sound, vigorous bodies.―lect and preserve minerals, plants, shells, Let them practice those gymnastic exer- insects, fishes, reptiles, birds, and mamcises suited to their sex, and not be de- mals; and encouraged to deposit these in terred from the noble purpose of laying the school-room. By this means each the foundation of health and usefulness good school would have a collection of in after years, by the fear of being called the flora and fauna of the neighborhood; "tom-boys." Females require daily out then, by mutual exchanges, each school door exercise, and they ought to have it. would accumulate a valuable cabinet. It We should expect the opposition of those is to be regretted that there are no suitaignorant parents who would have their ble text books, to assist the pupil and daughters to be lady-like (?) and at thir- teacher in investigating the common obteen to have as many "nips and tucks" jects with which we are surrounded. It is as an old maid of thirty. "Don't, dear, to be hopedthat this want will not remain run and romp; you make yourself quite long unsupplied. While the mere child can find enough to interest and delight ridiculous, you should remember you are almost a young lady:" such untimely him, the proudest mind will here find admonitions have sent hundreds of thou- ample materials for the profoundest invessands of lovely daughters to a premature tigation, prompting at the same time to grave. Then we hear the consoling dec-healthful exercise; for when the mind is thoroughly interested, exercise becomes larations, "mysterious Providence! promising flower nip'd in the bud, only a real pleasure. It is a significant fact, to teach us the uncertainty of life." Bet- that naturalists live almost universally to a ripe old age, and retain their mental

a

ter say: destroyed through the parents ignorance of the laws of life. Encourage powers unimpaired to an advanced period the girls to hop, jump, and run races, of life. If those persons whose brains with perfect freedom, and health will fix are perpetually racked to torment the its rosy seal on the cheeks of bright, joy-body, would interest themselves in some branch of natural history, and spend one ous, elastic youth. for two days in each week in the woods The study of the natural sciences as an and fields, collecting and investigating inducement to physical exercise, cannot natural objects, there would be less call for be too highly recommended. The study bran-bread, and more for beef steaks; of plants and animals especially, calls us fewer broken down, palefaced young mininto the fields, woods and prairies, by the isters, more vigorous sermons written, brooks and on the hills; affording to the and fewer old ones used. mind as well as the body a most healthy stimulus. I am thoroughly convinced that natural history should be studied in person should be positively required of every school, and taught even to the every one attending school. Away with young. Children learn to perceive differences in form, texture and color, with remarkable facility, and even to classify, bringing into action their faculties of observation, comparison and classification operations of the mind of the first impor-fully qualified for their profession unless

CLEANLINESS.-Absolute

purity of

the vulgar notion "that dirt is healthy."
Filth is but another name for disease.
Finally,--Physiology
Finally,--Physiology and Hygiene
should be taught to every advanced class;
and teachers should not be considered

capable of giving sound, wholesome in- these Institutions under the fostering care

struction in the great art of preserving life.

P. R. Hor.

and general control of some denomination of christians.

4. That these institutions should be WATERTOWN, April 29, 1856. liberally endowed, and furnished with LiJOURNAL OF EDUCATION:-I forward brary and apparatus, and provision for herewith an abstract of the proceedings of the education of meritorious young ladies the Educational Convention held in this whose means are too limited to enable city on Wednesday and Thursday of last them otherwise to obtain it.

week.

5. That in the providence of God, it

The Convention originated in a call is-seems to this Convention that the time has sued by a committee, composed of repre- come for Presbyterians and Congregationsentatives from several ecclesiastical bod-alists in this State to unite in an earnest ies, connected with Presbyterian and effort to secure such an Institution. Congregational churches in the State, who believed that the time had come for these denominations to act upon the subject of Female Education more efficiently than they have heretofore done.

The report of the Committee was accepted, and after full and free discussion, the 1st, 2d and 5th Resolutions were unanimously adopted, while, for lack of time, the consideration of the other resolutions was deferred until some future occasion.

The Convention assembled at the Congregational church, in this city, on Wed- At the request of the Convention, a nesday afternoon, (April 23d,) and was public address was delivered on Wednesorganized by the appointment of Rev. E. day evening, to a large and interested auJ. MONTAGUE, of Summit, as its presiding dience, by Rev. E. J. MONTAGUE, the obofficer, and Rev. S. H. BARTEAU, of Ocon- ject of which was to show that "It should omowoc, Secretary. be the distinctive design in Female Edu

A Committee was appointed to draft cation to fit woman for her sphere," and resolutions for the consideration of the this sphere he in one word defined to be Convention, who reported the following," Home." The address will be published viz: in accordance with a vote of the Convention, a copy of which I will endeavor to send you.

Resolved, 1. That there is a demand for educational Institutions, which shall afford to young ladies facilities for obtaining a liberal education, equivalent to those provided for young men in our colleges.

In order to carry out the views expressed in the above resolutions, the Convention appointed a Committee of ten whose business it is to investigate the whole subject and then to recommend a suitable location, plan, &c., for such a Seminary, to a Convention to be held upon the call of this Committee, which call shall be issued at the earliest practicable period. That convention is to consist of the minister of and one delegate from each of the churches 3. That the greatest efficiency and pros- connected with the Milwaukee, Madison perity can only be secured by placing and Winnebago District Conventions, and

2. That while the education of young ladies in these Institutions should be equivalent to that of young men in College-the difference in their constitutions -mental, moral and physical-and the difference in their social spheres, demand that the course of training should not be in both cases identical.

the Milwaukee and Fox River Presby- fice of City Superintendent of Schools.teries. Two buildings will probably be comThe Committee of ten referred to above menced immediately, one on each side of consists of Rev. E. J. Montague, of Sum- the river. Two buildings are rendered mit; Rev. L. Clapp, of Wauwatosa; C. necessary because Rock River knew no W. Camp, of Sheboygan; Rev. J. Porter, better than to run right through the midof Green Bay; Rev. C. E. Rosenkrans, dle of our city, thereby separating good of Columbus; Rev. J. B. Preston, of Ber- friends and cultivating sectional animosilin; S. E. Miner, of Wyocena; Rev. N. ties. But I suppose that the thing must H. Eggleston, of Madison; Rev. S. G. be endured, as Providence (as Mrs. PartSpees, of Milwaukee; Rev. W. A. Niles, ington says) seems to have ordered that of Watertown. the principal rivers should run through the large towns.

Should anything of peculiar interest

The Convention was one of much interest and of entire harmony. Delegations were present from different localities in transpire in respect to our schools, I may the State, who were prepared to make lib- perhaps send you the item.

Yours Truly,

W. A. N

KENOSHA, April 25, 1856.

eral pledges of material aid, provided the
Institution should be located at the points
designated by them. Madison and Wau-
kesha especially made offers which indi- EDITOR JOURNAL OF EDUCATION:
cated great interest in the matter of Fe-
male education among the citizers of those
places. The Convention adjourned on
Thursday noon, the 24th inst.

One leading object of your Journal doubtless is, to keep the public advised of the progress of educational matters within the limits of our own State. The We fully believe that much good wil Spring term of our High School closed on result from this gathering. If such an in- Friday last. The last three days of the stitution should really be put in operation term were devoted to public recitations, in our State, ought it not to obtain at and a review of studies pursued during least so much of State favor as to enable the term. The number of visitors and it to receive meritorious young ladies from friends of the school in attendance, durthe public schools and furnish them with ing these exercises was unusually large, a free collegiate education, thus enabling and an evident interest was manifest it to answer in some degree in the place throughout the whole time. The various of a "Free Academy" for girls. This is classes sustained themselves very creditprovided for the boys of the public schools ably-a full opportunity being given to at the University, but no such provision the visitors for criticism and questioning. is made by the State for our girls.

Most of the higher branches of English In regard to public schools, I may say studies usually pursued in Eastern Acadwe are now in a sort of transition state, emies, have been studied in our High from the old system to that of the 'Union School. In the study of languages, the School" plan. A beginning has been German has received much the largest made in the proper direction, by the or- share of attention; about forty, during ganization of an efficient Board of School the past term, principally young ladies, Commissioners under our new charter, and have studied German under the instructhe appointment of a good man to the of- tions of Miss Helen M. Waldo. Miss W.

is a teacher eminently successful in this of school room. Our present school acdepartment; although an American, yet commodations are quite too limited to in the opinion of those competent to meet the wants of the population. Our judge, she speaks German with great Board of Education contemplate the imfluency and remarkable correctness. mediate erection of another school house The Principal, John G. McKindley, has, on a lot which has been purchased for during his connection with the school, that purpose, adjoining the one on which gained the reputation among us of a the present High School building stands. thorough and successful teacher. In the The building is designed for a primary matter of controlling a school-the main-school, intended to accommodate 240 tainance of strict order and propriety of scholars, and will cost about $6,000. It deportment, Mr. McKindley can hardly is the purpose of the Board, to build the be surpassed. Mr. Lynch and Miss house upon the most approved modern Briggs, assistant teachers, possess quali- plan. I will in due time, if practicable, fications of a superior order. The de- furnish an engraved plan of the building partment of Vocal Music has been, dur- for insertion in your excellent Journal. ing the past two years, under the management of Mr. Stone; and his instructions have contributed largely to improve the musical taste of the scholars, and to render this important school exercise one of interest and attraction. I have not Monday, April 14th, and was then adtime to particularize the other depart- journed until Friday, the 18th. The ments connected with this school. The Teachers' Institute was then organized.— teachers generally deserve favorable men- A. Pickett Esq., was chosen President, tion for their devotion to the work. Mr. and V. M. Haskell, Secretary. Lectures Butler, Principal of the North Ward School, continues to give increasing evidence of his fitness for the position he occupies.

X.

THE WINNEBAGO COUNTY EDUCA-
TIONAL ASSOCIATION.

The Convention met at Oshkosh, on

were given during each day of the session on the following branches, Mathematics, Grammar, Physiology, Reading, Elocution and Writing. Lectures were delivered in the evening by A. K. Brush, A. Pickett, and Miss M. Wheeler. The committee on resolutions reported the following:

The closing exercises of the term, were held on Friday evening in the Congregational Church, and although every sitting and standing place was uncomfortably Whereas, We believe our common crowded, the audience manifested an schools to be the true basis of popular unabated interest to the close, which was education, and the principal agents for at a very late hour. The exercises of the preserving society from ignorance and evening were made up chiefly of declama-vice, and whereas we believe that Teachtions, compositions and music. The dec-ers' Institutes, are calculated to give a higher tone to our public schools, promolamations were mostly original, and in- ting the best system of teaching,-therevested with more than ordinary attrac-fore, tion, from the fact of their being devoted to home interests and local matters.

Resolved, That we recommend the Teachers' Institute, as the best means of securing a correct and uniform system of We are laboring under considerable instruction in common schools, and deserdisadvantages in this place for the want ving the encouragement and assistance

of all teachers and friends of education. various branches of diversified labor and Resolved, That we regret that so large industrial enterprise, from the contribua portion of the teachers of this county tion to a single generation of 5,000,000 have failed to attend this session of the years of intellectual culture? Who can Institute. tell what large contributions of talent and Resolved, That we tender our thanks mental activity it would add to the State, to Mr. A. Pickett, for the able manner and what a surprising number of powerwith which he has discharged the duties ful and useful minds it would evoke? If of President of the Institute: and to all he who causes two spires of grass to grow others who have contributed to make it where only one grew before, is entitled to pleasant and profitable.

Resolved, That we tender our thanks to the citizens of Oshkosh for their kindness and hospitality.

the appellation of a philanthropist, certainly a system of education, which would add millions to the aggregate years of a single generation, for intellectual and

On Friday the Institute adjourned and moral improvement, should command the the President of the Association, Martin tion and perpetuity of whose civil and recordial support of a State, the preservaMitchel, Esq., took the Chair. The com-ligious institutions depend upon the genmittee appointed to consider the expedi- eral intelligence and virtue of the people. ency of establishing a Normal School

in Winnebago county, reported favor- KINDNESS.-Would it please you to pick vorably and a committee was appointed up a string of pearls, drops of gold, diato draft a bill to be presented to the Leg-along the street? It would make you monds, and precious stones, as you pass islature, praying that the Board of Su- feel happy for a month to come. Such pervisors be allowed to raise the necessa-happiness you can give to others. How, ry funds. After transacting some mis-do you ask? By dropping sweet words, cellaneous business, the Association ad-kind remarks, and pleasant smiles, as you journed until the 8th of August next.

MARTIN MITCHEL, Pres't.

CHARLES W. FELKER, Sec'y.

H. H. BARNEY, Commissioner of Schools for Ohio, says, in regard to the introduction of Union or Graded Schools: THE new system presents a scheme by which six or eight years of lost time can be saved to each youth of the State, and added to their intellectual capital.

pass along. These are true pearls and precious stones, which can never be lost; of which none can deprive you. Speak to that orphan child; see the diamonds drop from her checks. Take the hand of that friendless boy; bright pearls flash in his eyes. Smile on the sad and dejected; a joy diffuses his cheek more brilliant than the most precious stones. By the wayside, mid the city's din, and at the fireside of the poor, drop words and smiles to cheer and bless. You will feel happier when resting upon your pillow at the close of the day, than if you had picked a score of perishing diamonds.— The latter fade and crumble in time: the former grow brighter with age, and produce happy reflections forever.

During the past year, over 600,000 pupils have received instruction in our common schools. This number multiplied by the number of years of lost time, as under the old system, would produce an aggregate of nearly 5,000,000 years! What a vast amount of lost time to a single geneHUMAN ELEVATION. "I know," says ration passing through our schools. If Channing, "but one elevation of the soul. this were merely a loss of so many years Without this, it matters nothing where a of physical labor, it might be estimated in man stands, or what he possess; and with dollars and cents; but, alas! it is a loss it, he towers-he is one of God's nobility of so many years of mental culture! no matter what place he holds in the so

Who can estimate a loss of this charac-cial scale. There are not different kinds ter? Who can enumerate the benefits of dignity for different orders of men, but which would accrue to the State in all her one and the same to all. The only eleva

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