Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"The persons composing it are expected to meet together to read papers and pursue discussions, and to seek the assistance of those who have a practical acquaintance with reform, as well as that of purely abstract reasoners.

They are to collect all facts, diffuse all knowledge, and stimulate all inquiry, which have a bearing on social welfare. It has long since been shown that the man of science, who confines himself to a specialty, who does not, at the very least, conquer the underlying principles of other branches of scientific inquiry, is necessarily misled, and cannot avoid frequent mistakes. To have any perception of the perspective of his subject, he must see it in its relation to other subjects. Something like this is true of those who investigate the necessities of society. If they associate themselves together, they have the advantage of each other's knowledge; they do not misunderstand their own relative positions; and they insure an economy of time, labor, and money.

"We would offer the widest hospitality to individual convictions, and to untried theories, provided only that such convictions and theories are the fruit of a serious purpose and an industrious life. To entertain the vagaries of the indolent would be at once undignified and unprofitable.

"1. Under the Department of Education will come every thing relating to the interests of Public Schools, Universities, and Colleges; to Reformatory, Adult, and Evening Schools; to Instruction in the Useful Arts; to Systems of Apprenticeship; to Lyceums, Pulpits, and the formation of Societies for the purposes of Public Instruction. In this department will be debated also all questions relating to Classical, Linguistic, and Scientific Studies, in their proportion to what is called an English Education; and the bearing of the publication of National and Patriotic Memorials upon Popular Culture.

"2. Upon the Department relating to Public Health a very large proportion of the popular interest will naturally be fixed. All Sanitary and Hygienic matters will come before it; and what the Sanitary Commission has learned in the last four years will be made available, through its action, to the people at large. The subjects of Epidemics, of the origin and spread of Cholera, Yellow Fever, and Eruptive Diseases, will be legitimately discussed here. It will consider all questions of Increase of Population, Vaccination, Ventilation of Public and Private Buildings, Drainage, Houses for the Poor, the Management of Cemeteries, Public Baths, Parks and Public Gardens, Places of Recreation, the Management of Hospitals and Insane Asylums, the Adulteration of Food and Drugs, all questions relating to the Duration of Human Life, Sanitary Regulations for the Army and Navy, and all matters of popular interest connected with medical science. We shall look to our ablest physicians and surgeons for contributions to this department.

"3. Under the head of Social Economy, we shall consider Pauperism actual rather than legal, and the relation and the responsibilities of the gifted and educated classes towards the weak, the witless, and the ignorant. We shall endeavor to make useful inquiries into the causes of Human Failure, and the Duties devolving upon Human Success. We shall consider the Hours of Labor; the Relation of Employers and Employed; the Employment of Women

by itself considered: the Relation of Idleness to Female Crime; Prostitution and Intemperance; Workhouses; Public Libraries and Museums; Savings Banks and Dispensaries. Here, too, will be discussed National Debt; the Subjects of Tariff and Taxation; the Habits of Trade; the Quality of our Manufactures; the Control of Markets; the Monopolies in the Sale of Food, or the Production of articles of common use; the Value of Gold; and all questions connected with the Currency.

"4. In the Department of Jurisprudence, we aim to consider, first, the absolute Science of Right; and, second, the Amendment of Laws. This department should be the final resort of the other three; for when the laws of Education, of Public Health, and of Social Economy, are fully ascertained, the law of the land should recognize and define them all. Under this head will be considered all questions of the justice, the expediency, and the results of existing statutes; including their administration and interpretation, and especially their bearing on Suffrage, Property, Privilege, Debt, Crime, and Pauperism. Here, then, will come up the vexed questions of Prison Discipline and Capital Punishment."

It will thus be seen that our scope is sufficiently general, and the field for our labors sufficiently broad. But we shall, without doubt, discover other topics which equally claim attention; and shall not refuse to entertain any inquiry by which the progress of humanity may be investigated or promoted.

Any person can become a member by the payment of $3 to the Treasurer of the association, and we trust its roll will include the names of many teachers.

TEACHERS' SALARIES.

We give below a schedule of the proposed salaries of the Boston public school teachers for the coming year, which, we presume, in spite of some technical objections on the part of the Common Council, will be definitely adopted before our magazine reaches its readers. The city of Cambridge has also raised the salaries of its teachers 50 per cent.; and we presume that the same action has been taken in many other places. We need hardly point out that at the present rate of living this is an act not of generosity so much as of simple justice to the members of one of the most laborious of professions, and that any narrow penny-wise policy on the subject now when so many new avenues are tempting men and women away in new directions, will surely result in a permanent lowering of the standard of educational ability. No greater misfortune, we think, could happen to the community than this. So far from being diminished, the scale of teachers' salaries should be increased, not only relatively to the increased cost of living, but in still greater proportion; for we believe that the services of public school teachers have never yet been adequately remunerated. We have this month to chronicle the departure from the profession in a neighboring State of an able and successful teacher. We trust we shall not have to record any similar losses in our own.

[Schedule of the Salaries of the Officers of the School Board, and Teachers of the Public Schools, of the City of Boston, with proposed increase, December, 1865.]

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Mr. S. C. Stone, of Newton, was chosen Chairman of the next meeting. Mr. Geo. K. Daniell, Jr., of Milton, was appointed permanent Secretary of the meetings.

Mr. Frost, of Waltham, opened the discussion. The question read as follows: "What should children be taught from the age of fourteen till they graduate from the public schools?" Mr. F. thought that the subject was one of the first importance. It was one also upon which there existed a disparity of opinion which was steadily increasing. A child of that, or any age should be taught that which will be of the most service to him in after life. We have but one life

to live, and hence the greater need of care in our manner of preparing for it. At the age of fourteen, the question must be met - Which course shall we pursue? Shall it be the classical, or the scientific, or both? The time was when the classical seemed the only course. Within the past.forty years all the natural sciences have, as it were, arisen. Philosophy, Chemistry, and Astronomy have been raised from a vague and doubtful state, to one of scientific accuracy. It is argued that the classics alone can thoroughly discipline the mind. If this is so, comparatively few people have, or can have, mental discipline. It is sometimes said that we are, as a people, progressing, and yet we look constantly to Greece and Rome for models. We turn too much to the past, and too little to the present and future. Why should not the study of Everett and Irving be as valuable to a boy as that of ancient authors? Many a boy spends years in the study of Latin and Greek who is almost a stranger to the English language. The remark was made at the last meeting, that boys would study butterflies enough if left to themselves. But he believed in teaching them such things. He believed that the effect of the constant study of the phenomena of nature around them was most salutary; far more so than that of a dead language. He then described the manner in which Dr. Hill, of Harvard College, most beautifully illustrated, during a visit to his school, the catching and eating of a fly by a "Devil's Darning-needle," and described the perfection of skill illustrated by the movements of an insect that at first appeared so awkward. Mr. Frost thought the benefit derived from such studies, far greater than that received from the study of Greek and Latin verbs. He would abolish every high school in Massachusetts except in the great centres. In the larger towns, men were wearing themselves out, as teachers of high schools, to no worthy purpose. They are required to do the work of half a dozen professors, and to do it equally well. Should so much attention be given to a language of three thousand years ago, because it was called classical? If we would study such models as the speech of Logan, we should gain far greater benefit. The day is coming when it will be thought sufficient to study nature and English authors. "Let the dead past bury its dead."

Mr. Payson, of Chelsea, said that he could not read Greek at all, and read Latin but very little. He could not therefore speak from personal experience. He knew that in many high schools too much labor is required of the teacher. He had a brother who had ruined his health in this way. The fact is, that, universally, teachers teach and scholars study twice as much as they ought to. He should not wish, however, like the last speaker, to abolish high schools altogether.

Mr. Marston, of Cambridge, spoke of the subject as one of great importance. He wholly dissented from Mr. Frost's idea of abolishing high schools. Many obtained knowledge in this way which they could get in no other. He thought too much time was given to the study of Latin and Greek. He would have scholars taught instead, more of Natural Philosophy and Chemistry. He would have them taught just what they would need in after life. He would also have

them taught human nature; would have pointed out to them the nature and cause of different crimes. He would explain to them why one man is happier than another, and thus teach them principles of action.

Mr. Adams, of Boston, spoke of the wide difference which existed in the estimate which different teachers formed of the relative importance of the various branches of study. Some spent most of their strength upon Geography, others on History, while still others saw only through mathematical glasses. In our high schools the variety of studies was so great that they were very liable to be gone over superficially. Books were swallowed, but not digested. The object of the scholar was, too often, to get through the book, rather than to get the book through him. He thought it well to have a division of study, so that each scholar may learn that for which he has the strongest predilection, and which will be of the most use to him in after life. Whether they pursue a scientific or classical course should depend upon their object in life.

Mr. Daniell, of Dorchester, wished to check the current which seemed to be setting strongly against classical education. Men forget that language is itself a physical science, which cannot be mastered by the study of only one branch. The question will be asked, why, then, not study modern languages rather than ancient ones-live languages instead of dead ones? Why not study French, German or Spanish, instead of Latin and Greek? Even these, however, were very little used in this country, and the practical benefit of knowing them is comparatively small. The sentiment of the community was now very strong in favor of a scientific, instead of a classical education. He thought, however, that the idea was carried to a dangerous extreme.

Mr. Marble, of Boston, said that the discussion had wandered from the real subject at issue. Education is not merely the gaining of information. The great object is discipline. A child, when he leaves school, has hardly reached the door of that great world in which he is to act. He should not be put on any hobby, but his powers should be so trained as to fit him to act well his part. Nearly all the great men of the world were classically educated, All children could not be classical scholars, but the road to it should be left open. Stop the study of the classics, and you shut the door to progress. The chief boast of Massachusetts is, that any of her children may receive in her public schools, a classical education. High schools open the way to much that cannot otherwise be obtained. Boys will study butterflies readily enough of themselves.

Mr. Hagar, of Salem, was the next speaker. The subject, he said, was a large one. It was much discussed by the best minds in the country, and especially at the present time. There seemed to be a conflict between the advocates of the different systems. He saw no necessity for it. They should both be pursued. He thought the English language should be much studied, but it cannot be as well studied in any other way as by the study of language as a science.

The study of Milton has been referred to, but Milton cannot be thoroughly appreciated without a knowledge of Latin. If he wished his boy to study Milton, he would have him first study Latin. There were two objects in

« AnteriorContinuar »