EDITOR'S DEPARTMENT. The Atlantic Telegraph. ENGLAND AND AMERICA UNITED. Tur first of September is the grand jubilee in honor of the successful laying of the Atlantic Cable. The work is accomplished. The Old World and the New are in instantaneous communication, and the lines are open to the business men of both hemispheres. Let all rejoice. We are glad to send this little unassuming monthly to our kind friends and patrons upon such a day of rejoicing. This Atlantic Cable will be a handmaid to education. Already the great American body of teachers - the American Institute of Instruction-have voted to send greetings to their brethren across the great waters. Let every teacher join in the shout of praise this day ascending from the Christian world to God, whose kind Providence has given success to the great enterprise of our age. American Institute of Instruction. THE twenty-ninth annual meeting of this venerable body of American Teachers was held in the large hall of the Free Academy, in Norwich, Conn., August 17th, 18th, and 19th. We have room at present for only a brief report of their proceedings. The meeting was one of the largest ever held, and in all respects one of the most successful. The members of this body comprise the most able and distinguished teachers of our country. The lectures, addresses and discussions are of the highest order, and the general effect of the annual gatherings, both upon the people of the place of the meeting and upon the teachers and other educational men from all parts of the country, is most inspiriting and salutary. This meeting at Norwich will long be remembered by those who were so fortunate as to be present, as one on which the memory will delight to dwell for years to come. The members of the Institute were most cordially welcomed to the hospitalities of the city by His Excellency Gov. Buckingham. This welcome was extended in behalf of the Trustees of the Free Academy, of which he is the chairman, of the Board of Education of the city, and of the citizens generally. In the course of his address, His Excellency referred to the interest which the citizens of Norwich had manifested in the work of education, by the time they had giv en to it, and the expense which they had voluntarily incurred. The Free Academy itself was a voluntary contribution of more than $100.000. After a happy response from the president, Hon. J. D. Philbrick, Superintendent of the Boston schools, the first address was given by Rev. Barnas Sears, D. D., President of Brown University. His subject was a survey of our entire system of education, dwelling especially upon our higher institutions. He contended earnestly for the education of the college and the university as well as the practical or scientific schools. The second address was given on Tuesday evening by Rev. J. P. Gulliver, of Norwich. His topic was The School the natural ally of the Pulpit, or, the proper education of the Mind has a tendency to secure the proper education of the Heart. On Wednesday morning the Institute entered upon the discussion of the question as to the education of the sexes together in the public schools. The discussion was opened by Elbridge Smith, Esq., Principal of the Free Academy, Norwich. He was followed by the following gentlemen, nearly all of whom agreed with Mr. Smith that the sexes should be educated together: "Father Greenleaf," of Bradford Mass., Richard Edwards, of St. Louis, Mo., Geo, B. Emerson, of Boston, Mr. Batchelder, of Salem, Mass. The third lecture was then delivered by T. W. Valentine, Esq., of Booklyn, N. Y. His theme was, "Words Fitly Spoken." In the afternoon a proposition was presented at once by Mr. Dole, of Maine, for submitting what he claims as a great discovery, to the in vestigation of a committee to be raised by the In- Schools to be entirely supported by General Taxation." stitute. He claims to have solved what he calls the enigma of the English verb, to have discovered its true theory. He confidently believed that, on a fair investigation, his claim would prove a good one. In accordance with his request a committee was appointed by the Chair in relation to the matter, consisting of A. Crosby, of Salem, Mr. Hart, of Farmington, and Mr. Amos Perry, of Providence. Prof. D. N. Camp then offered a series of resolutions with reference to the loss of the Institute by the death of the late Prof. Andrews, of New Britain, and accompanied them with very appropriate remarks. The resolutions were seconded by Dr. Wm. A. Alcott, of Newton, Mr. Greeuleaf, of Bradford, Mr. Greenleaf, of Brooklyn, Mr. Emerson, of Boston, Mr. Kingsbury, of Providence, and Mr. Hedges, of New Jersey, who suggested that the vote be taken by rising. They were unanimously adopted. The fourth lecture was by B. W. Putnam, Esq., Principal of the Quincy School, Boston. The subject chosen by Mr. Putnam was, “Drawing as a Branch of Education." This gentleman's address was an able and manly argument in favor of Drawing as a means of cultivating refinement and taste, of developing accurately the perceptive faculties, of disciplining the imagination and enhancing the pleasure and profit of reading, and of moral education. A brief discussion followed, in the main sustaining the position of the lecturer, participated in by Messrs. Greenleaf of Bradford, Emerson of Boston, Greenleaf of Brooklyn, Boutwell of Groton, and Wetherell of Boston. The fifth lecture was delivered on Wednesday evening, by Prof. John Foster, of Union College. He discoursed upon the general subject of Education, discussing particularly the opposing theories of the "progressives" and "conservatives." On Thursday the officers for the ensuing year were elected, resulting in the reelection of nearly all of last year's list. After the election of officers, a discussion was indulged in, upon the question: "Ought Public The discussion was participated in by Hon. D. N. Camp, Supt. of Common Schools of Connecticut, Samuel St. John of Bridgeport, Dr. W. A. Alcott of Newton, Messrs. Greenleaf of Bradford, Mass., and Greenleaf of Brooklyn, N. Y., Hon. John A. Rockwell of Norwich, and Gov. Boutwell. The sixth lecture was delivered by Prof. Calthorp, of Bridgeport, Conn. He took a general survey of man, and of the means for his education, as a being possessed of Body, Mind, Heart, Conscience and Soul. These he considered as all mutually dependent;and in consequence of that connection, the body has something to do with the mind, heart, conscience and soul of man. His performance was a most amusing and satisfactory one, calling forth repeated applause. At its close, G. F. Thayer, Esq., of Boston, expressed his delight with the discourse, and moved that, if the funds of the Institute would permit of it, the author be requested to furnish a copy, and that five thousand copies be printed for gratuitous circulation. Hon. John A. Rockwell suggested that there should be no condition as to the state of the fund. He thought the means would be readily found. Mr. Batchelder, of Salem, preferred that the number of copies should be put at fifty thousand. There would be no trouble, he thought, in raising the funds by subscription. Gov. Buckingham coincided in his views with Mr. Rockwell, and Mr. Thayer so modified his Thus modified, it was unanimously adopted, and the announcement was received with hearty applause. motion. The Institute then adjourned to take a pleasure trip down the river in the afternoon. The afternoon of Thursday was devoted to an excursion down the Thames. About eight hundred ladies and gentlemen took their places on board the steamer Connecticut and enjoyed a delightful trip down the Thames to the Sound. The evening was devoted to the closing ad dresses, which formed perhaps the most interest-copious illustration, profound thought, and earning exercises of the three days' meetings. est spirit which distinguishes all the author's The last vote of the Institute before adjourn- productions. It commanded close attention, and ing was to authorize its president and secretary to send greetings, via the Atlantic Telegraph, to a similar association of educators in the mother country. at its close was loudly applauded. A copy was requested for publication. A similar compliment was paid to Mr. Philbrick.-Providence Journal. INSTITUTE AT NEWPORT. Our readers will As usual, the exercises of the meeting were closed by singing the Doxology, at nearly eleven find by the advertisement in this number that aro'clock, previous to which hour not a dozen per-rangements have been completed by the efficient sons had left the hall. Nearly six hundred female teachers shared the bountiful hospitalities of the citizens of Norwich, and the hotels were filled to overflowing by the male portion of the profession. Acquaintances were made between hosts and guests which will be pleasant for years to come. Ideas were suggested which will find their practical test in the school-rooms of the East, the West, and the South. A higher degree of culture was advocated, which will be responded to by the people of our nation. National Teachers' Association. School Commissioner, Mr. Kingsbury, for a Teachers' Institute at Newport, the first week in October. The instructors and lecturers engaged are of the highest order, and the meeting promises to be one of the most interesting and valuable which the teachers of Rhode Island have had an opportunity to attend for many years. As this is the only Institute to be held in the state the present season, we bespeak for it the general attendance of teachers of every grade throughout the state. THE APPOINTMENT AT EAST GREENWICH. Rev. Prof. Robert Allyn has, we understand, negatived the call to the principalship of the Providence Conference Seminary, and Rev. Micah J. Talbot, A. M., of Newport, has been unanimously elected by the trustees. Mr. Talbot is a grduate of the Wesleyan University of the class of 1844. THE annual convention of the National Teachers' Association, convened at Cincinnati on Wednesday, Aug. 11th, has been an occasion of unusual interest. Eminent educators from every quarter of our country were present. The discussions were spirited and harmonious. In reCHARLES B. GOFF.-This gentleman has response to calls for reports on educational matcently been appointed Principal of the High ters, Mr. Adams, of Montpelier, spoke for Ver- School at Fall River, Mass. He was the valemont; Mr. Philbrick, of Boston, for Massachu-dictorian of the class of 1856, Brown University, setts; Dr. M'Jilton, for Maryland; Mr. Bagg, is a fine scholar, especially in the ancient classics, for Alabama; and Mr. Devoil for Missouri. Favorable reports of the cause were also made for New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Prof. Daniel Read, of Wisconsin University, delivered an address "On the educational tendencies and progress of the last thirty years." Mr. Philbrick delivered an address on "Manual Education;" the President, Z. Richards, one on the "Province and agency of the National Teachers' Association;" and Horace Mann one on the "Motives of Teachers." This last was characterized by the graphic style, an accomplished gentleman, and a successful teacher. He was recently principal of the High School in Schenectady, New York. School Incidents. 1, "What makes you draw your words so?" asked the village pedagogue of a young lad who came in from the farm, a mile and a half from the village, and who said "naeow" and "caeow." "Because," said the boy, "I-have-so-fur-tercome." 2. A young school-marm was one day asking and prepared the little book "How Plants Grow." the questions of the book and receiving, parrot-It comes to us fresh from the dew of the mornlike, the stereotype answers, when the following ing and laden with the sweetness of spring flowreply was given to the questioners. It allures us out into the fields to pluck "Who inhabit the northeastern portion of butter cups and lilies, and to "behold how they North America?" grow." Right worthy is it of a hearty welcome, "Esquimaux, spices of Indians," was the quick and a place among the text-books of our common schools. reply. It is hardly necessary to say that the little fellow had mistaken the word species for spices. 3. The R. I. Schoolmaster once taught a village school in Massachusetts. One day his first class was reading a piece called The Maniac, in which occurs this passage: "He led him up through sundry passages to the roof of the house." The lad read it: "He led him up through sun dry pastures to the roof of the house." For the Schoolmaster. "How Plants Grow."* To observe, and then to think and to reason is the law of development in the human mind. Far more natural is it for a child to delight in handling a flower, in looking intently at its form and its color, and in smelling its odor, than to attend to conceptions of classes, and of relations, or to desire to investigate the philosophy of language. This fact should be a guiding principle in the arrangement of studies in our primary schools. The youthful scholar should be encouraged to observe the things around him, not so much his books, his slate, and his desk, the works of man, as the clouds and the rocks, the beautiful creations of God. To assist him in one department of the study of natural objects, and that perhaps the most delightful of all, Prof. Gray has left for the time his more dignified works, such as the "Botanical Text Book," and the "Botany of the Northern United States," * HOW PLANTS GROW, a simple introduction to Structural Botany. With a popular Flora, or an arrangement and description of common plants, both wild and cultivated. Illustrated by 500 wood engravings. By Asa Gray, M. D., Fisher Professor of Natural History in Harvard University. New York: Ivison and Phinney, 320 Broadway. The study of plants is the most charming pursuit which can occupy the mind of a child. It is one also of never-failing interest and instruction. There is no child in our schools so young that he could not be taught to admire the beautiful forms of leaves. This is the point, where we would have the study commence. Indeed, we would advise the teacher to tell her scholars about the shapes of leaves, and of roots, and to encourage them to collect and to arrange these, even if she be able to carry the pursuit no farther. Take the leaf of a garden lily, and another of a cherry tree, and point out how one has its little veins all running parallel from the base to the apex, while in the other they are all branching off from a central rib. Then let the scholars gather all the leaves they can, and separate them into two classes in accordance with this distinction, and if they do not take a real living interest in it, we are much mistaken. Then go on, step by step, to " "linear" leaves, and "oval," and "heartshaped," and "wedge-shaped," and "arrowshaped," and "shield-shaped," with all the rest, and let them gather specimens of each. They will thus be cultivating a habit of observation, and a love for the beautiful, of incalculable value through life. A knowledge of the varied and beautiful forms of leaves and stems, and roots will prepare the way for a right understanding of their functions and uses. This will form the second stage of the study. Show how the rootlets are fitted for absorbing fluids from the soil, how the stem serves to hang out the leaves in the sunlight and the air, and how the leaves change the character of the fluid absorbed by the roots, so that it is capable of ministering to the building up of the plant. Thus the plan of vegetation is presented, and we naturally ask, where did the plant begin, and whither is it going? We are thus introduc-bonic acid, hurtful to them, plants need the cared to the mysteries of the flower and the seed. bon of this carbonic acid; indeed, it makes a Branches which at first consisted of stem and very large portion of their food, as we plainly leaves only, now take another form, and see it must, when we know that about half of more beautiful colors, and are called flowers. every part of a plant is carbon, that is, charcoal. Now is the time to point out the different parts And this carbonic acid is the very part of the air of the flower, the sepals, and the petals, the sta- that plants use; they constantly take it from the mens, and the pistils, and hidden among them air, decompose it in their leaves during sunshine, all the ovary, which will ere long become the on- keep the carbon, and give back the oxygen pure, ly valuable part, to be preserved with care, when so keeping the air fit for the breathing of aniits present gay covering is all gone to decay. mals. The carbon which plants take from the Now open an ovary, it makes no difference air in this way, along with water, &c., they aswhether you do it by cutting an apple, or crack- similate, that is, change into vegetable matter: ing a chestnut bur, and placing the seeds or the and in doing this nuts in the ground, watch the coming forth of "They make all the food which animals live upthe seed-leaves, and the plumicle, and show your on. Animals cannot live upon air, water, or scholars that you have traced the cycle of vege-earth, nor are they able to change these into food table life from the perfect growing plant, through bud, and flower, and fruit, and seed, and germ round to the perfect growing plant again. The scholars will then be prepared to consider some of the questions which Prof. Gray answers in his third chapter. "Why do plants grow?" "What are they made for?" "What do they do?" We cannot better close this short notice than by extracting a part of our Author's answer to the question, "WHAT ARE PLANTS MADE FOR?" "In the first place, in the very act of making vegetable matter, plants fulfill one great purpose of their existence, that is, which they may live upon. This work is done for them by plants. Vegetable matter in almost every form especially as herbage, or more con centrated in the accumulations of nourishment which plants store up in roots, in bulbs and tub ers, in many stalks, in fruits, and in seeds-is food for animals. 'And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth,' as well as to men, is given ‘every green herb for meat.' Some animals take it by feeding directly upon vegetables; others, in feeding upon the flesh of herbivorous animals, receive what they have taken from plants. Man and a few animals take in both ways what plants have prepared for them. But however received, and however changed in form in the progress from plant to animal or from one animal to another, all the food and all the substance of all animals were made by plants. And this is what plants are made for. "They purify the air for animals. That part of the air which renders it fit for breathing is called oxygen; this makes up about one fifth part of the air we breathe. At every breath animals take in some of this oxygen and change it into carbonic acid; that is, they combine the oxygen with carbon from their blood, which makes carbonic acid, and breathe out this carbonic acid into the air, in place of the oxygen they drew in. Now this carbonic acid is unfit for the breathing of animals, -so much so, that, if it were to increase so as to make any considerable part of the atmosphere, "They furnish all the clothing of man; -not man and other animals could not live in it. But only what is made from the woolly hairs of cer plants prevent the carbonic acid from accumu- tain seeds (cotton), or from the woody fibres of lating in the air. While animals need the oxy-bark (linen), and what is spun from Mulberry gen of the air, and in using it change it into car leaves by the grubs of certain moths (as silk), "Notice also that plants furnish us not merely needful sustenance, but almost every comfort and convenience. Medicine for restoring, as well as food for supporting health and strength, mainly comes from plants. |