Of this sum, there is raised from funds, County of Penobscot. No returns from Palmyra, Corinna, Phillips and No. 7, 7th Range. School Districts, Children between 4 and 21 years, Number who usually attend School, Amount raised and expended for Schools, 10,706 7,551 $10,225 62 $241 11 Plantation No. 7, 7th Range, No. 2, 2d Range, East of Penobscot River and Jarvis' Gore, made no returns of the number of children who usually attend schools. From the above Statement it appears that there are in this State, School Districts, Children between 4 and 21 years, Number who usually attend Schools, 2,419 135,344 97,237 135,100 18 $ 4,932 66 There is annually raised in this State, then, nearly one dollar a head for every child between 4 and 21 years, and appropriated for the purposes of education. Averaged upon those, who usually attend schools, it amounts to one dollar thirty nine cents nearly, for each scholar. How insignificant a sum, when put in comparison with the invaluable blessings which flow from its expenditure! There is much reason to exult in the thought, that ninety-seven thousand children are annually trained up to knowledge and usefulness, to be the bone and sinew of the body politic, at an expense too, so little felt, as to seem like a boon from some unseen hand. Besides the public schools, enumerated in the foregoing statement, there are in Maine twenty-one incorporated Academies, four of which have been endowed, in addition to funds derived from private sources, by the grant of a township of land, and seventeen by a grant of half a township. There are besides six incorporated female academies, two of which only are in operation. Two of them have received at the present session, a grant of a half township of land. Boston Adv. TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY. Extract from the Report of the Trustees, in answer to the Resolutions of the Assembly, requiring information. 1. 'The salary and other emoluments of the President, derived from private lectures or classes, signing diplomas, and the fee charged for each.'. The President has no private class. His salary is $3000 in currency, equivalent at this time to $2000 in specie. He charges a fee of five dollars in currency, for signing the diplomas of the Bachelors and Masters of Arts. The income from this source, during the last session, was $215 in currency, or $107 50 in specie. 2. The salaries and emoluments of the other Professors, and how paid, whether in specie or paper currency.' Professor Roche has $1200 in currency; Professor Matthews $1200 in specie; and Professor Chapman $600 in currency.-Each of the Medical Professors has twenty dollars in currency for his ticket, and five dollars in currency for signing the diplomas of the Medical Graduates. 4. "The number of diplomas granted by the institution within the two last years, designating the number granted in each year.' During the year ending in July 1825, the University conferred 32 degrees of Bachelor of Arts; 21 of Master of Arts; 16 of Bachelor of Laws; 57 of Doctor of Medicine, and 2 of Doctor of Laws; thus making an aggregate of 128. During the year ending in July 1824, the University conferred 24 degrees of Bachelor of Arts; 18 of Master of Arts; 16 of Bachelor of Laws; 47 of Doctor of Medicine; 2 of Doctor of Divinity, and 2 of Doctor of Laws; making a total of 109. 5. The present number of students in the University, designating separately the Medical and Law students, and those in the Grammar School and College.' The Law School is suspended for the present session, to be revived the next. -The medical class contains 272; the senior class, 38; the junior class, 24; the sophomore class, 12; the freshman class, 17, and the preparatory department 40; making an aggregate of 403. Of these, the four college classes con tain 91. For the employment of the President and the Academical Professors, see his report to the board at a late meeting. Each Medical Professor lectures every day to the class for an hour. The Principal of the Preparatory Department is in his School from six to seven hours. Dr. Blythe lectures to the seniors three times a week on chemistry. At a meeting of the trustees of Transylvania University, 23d Sept. 1825: Resolved, That the Clerk request the President to report to the Board, at their next meeting, the time that each Professor devotes to the recitation rooms. At a meeting 3d Oct. 1825, Mr. Holly reported as follows, viz: Agreeably to the request of the Board of Trustees of Transylvania University, at their meeting Sept. 23, 1824, the President makes the following report, concerning the labors of the several instructers in the academical department. The President, from 9 to 10 o'clock, A. M and from 12 to 1, P. M. attends the seniors daily, giving a course of instruction in Philology, Rhetoric, Logic, Ethics, mental Philosophy and Political Economy. From 10 to 12, he goes through a course of regular criticism, with his pen in his hand, and in company with the writers in succession, upon the themes and forensics which are prepared by the seniors. A portion of this period is also devoted to students, for all the objects of complaint, advice, expostulation, and the general business of order and discipline, as well as to the reception of strangers, and the requisite information which they seek, when they visit the institution with their sons or their friends. It is still further employed by the President, to visit according to law, the recitation and lecture rooms of the teachers and professors, and to suggest any improvements that may be made, as well as to obtain a personal knowledge of the condition of all the departments. From 12 to 1 on Fridays, he attends to the private declamation of the tw upper classes, and from 10 to 11 on Saturdays, to their public declamation. As has been done heretofore in some of the sessions, the President designs to give, from 11 to 12 on Saturdays, during the present season, a course of lectures on manners and morals, in the chapel. At this time the President is employed one hour each day, in hearing a course of recitations from one of the classes in Latin; though this is an extra duty, which he will assign to some one else, as soon as circumstances will permit. Prefessor Roche, from 9 to 10, hears a recitation by the juniors; from 10 to 11, a recitation by the sophomores; from 11 to 12, a second recitation by the juniors; from 12 to 1 a recitation by the freshmen, and from 1 to 2, a second recitation by the sophomores. In this manuer he goes through with the prescribed course of Greek and Latin, with the exception of Horace, which is taken by the President. The Professor also criticises, at his room, the Greek and Latin exercises of the classes. Professor Matthews, from 9 to 10, hears a recitation by the freshmen : from 10 to 11, a recitation by the juniors; from 11 to 12, a recitation by the seniors, and from 12 to 1, by the sophomores. He also delivers lectures on the subjects of his professorship, twice a week. Professor Chapman, from 9 to 10, bears the sophomores; from 10 to 11, the seniors; from 11 to 12, the freshmen; and from 12 to 1, the juniors. The labors of Professor Roche are unreasonably great. Justice and policy require that they should be lessened, as soon as the circumstances of the University will allow a division of his professorship. [Dr. Holly has recently resigned the presidency of the Transylvania University; having accepted that of the University of Louisiana.] INFLUENCE OF INFANT SCHOOLS. The Boy and the Song. One day while I was walking in the play ground, I saw at one end of it about twenty children, apparently arguing a subject, pro. and con.; from the attitude of several of the orators, I judged it was about something that appeared to them of considerable importance. I wished to know the subject of debate, but was satisfied, that if I approached the children it might put an end to the matter altogether. Some of the bystanders saw me looking very attentively at the principal actor, and, as I suppose, suggested to the party the propriety of retiring to some other spot, for immediately afterwards they all retired behind a partition, which afforded me an opportunity of distinctly hearing all that passed, without being observed by them. I soon found that the subject of debate was a song. It seems that one of the children had brought a song to the school, and some of the monitors had read it, and afterwards decided that it was an improper thing for the child to have in his possession, and one of them had taken it from the owner, and destroyed it; the aggrieved party had complained to some of the other children, who said that it was thieving for one child to take any thing from another child, without his consent. The boy, nettled at being called a thief, defended himself by saying that he, as a monitor, had a right to take away from any of his class any thing that was calculated to do them harm; and he, it seems, was backed in this opinion by many others. On the other hand, it was contended that no such right existed, and it was doubtful to me for a considerable time, on which side the strength of argument lay. At last one of the children observed to the following effect:- You should have taken it to master, because he would know if it was bad better than you.' This was convincing argument, and, to my great delight, the boy replied- How much did the song cost? The reply was, 'a halfpenny.' 'Here, then, take it' says the child, I had one given me to day, so now remember I have paid you for it; but if you bring any more songs to school I will tell master.' This seemed to give general satisfaction to the whole party, who immediately dispersed to their several amusements. A struggle like this, between the principles of duty and honesty, among children so very young, must prove highly interesting to all lovers of children, and exemplifies, beyond a doubt, the immense advantages of early instruction. Death bed and Funeral of an Infant Scholar. The following anecdote will show how early impressions are made on the infant mind, and the effects such impressions have in the dying moments of a child. A little boy, between the age of five and six years, being extremely ill, prevailed on his mother to ask me to come and see him: the mother called, and stated, that he said he did want to see his master so bad, that he would give any thing if he could see him. The mother likewise said, she should be very much obliged to ine if I would come: conceiving that the child would get better after he had seen me. I accordingly went, and on seeing the child, considered that he could not reThe moment I entered the room, the child attempted to rise, but could not. Well, my little man,' said I, did you want to see me?' 'Yes, sir, I wanted to see you very much,' answered the child. Tell me what you wanted me for.' 'I wanted to tell you that I cannot come to school again, because I shall die.' 'Don't say that,' said the mother, 'you will get better, and then you cover. can go to school again.' 'No,' answered the child, ‘I shall not get better, I am sure, and I wanted to ask master to let my class sing a hymn over my body, when they put me in the pit-hole.' The child having made me promise that this should be done, observed, 'you told me, master, when we used to say the pictures, that the souls of children never die, and do you think I shall go to God?" You ask me a difficult question, my little boy,' said I. Is it, sir,' says the child, 'I am not afraid to die, and I know I shall die.' 'Well, child, I should not be afraid to change states with you, for if such as you do not go to God, I do not know what will become of such as myself; and from what I know of you, I firmly believe that you will, and all like you; but you know what I used to tell you at school.' 'Yes, sir, I do; you used to tell me that I should pray to God to assist me to do to others as I would that they should do to me, as the hymn says; and mother knows that I always said my prayers night and morning, and I used to pray for father and mother, master and governess, and every body else.' 'Yes, my little man, this is part of our duty; we should pray for every one, and I think if God sees it needful, he will answer our prayers, especially when they come from the heart.' Here the child attempted to speak, but could not, but waved his hand, in token of gratitude for my having called; and I can truly say, that I never saw so much confidence, resignation, and true dependence on the divine will, manifested by any grown person on a death bed, much less by a child, under the tender age of seven years. I bid the child adieu, and was much impressed with what I had seen. The next day the mother called on me, and informed me that the child had quitted his tenement of clay; and that just before his departure, he had said to her, and those around him, that the souls of children never die; it was only the body that died, that he had been told at school, while they were saying the pictures, that the soul went to God, who gave it. The mother said, that these were the last words the child was known to utter. She then repeated the request, about the children singing a hymn over his grave, and named the hymn she wished to have sung. The time arrived for the funeral, and the parents of the children who were to sing the hymn, made them very neat and clean, and sent them to school, I sent them to the house, whence the fune ral was to proceed, and the undertaker sent word that he could not be troubled with such little creatures, and that unless I attended myself, the children could not go. I told him, I was confident that the children would be no trouble to him, if he only told them to follow the mourners, two and two, and that it was unnecessary for any one to interfere with them further, than showing them the way back to the school. I thought, however, that I would attend to see how the children behaved, but did not let them see me, until the corpse had arrived at the ground. As soon as I had got to the ground, some of the children saw me, and exclaimed, 'there's master;' and several of them stepped out of the ranks to favor me with a bow. When the corpse was put into the ground, the children were arranged around the grave, not one of whom was more than six years of age. One of them gave out the hymn, in the usual way, and then it was sung(according to the opinions of the by-standers) very well. The novelty of the thing caused a great number of persons to collect together; and yet, to their credit, while the children were singing, there was not a whisper to be heard; and when they had finished, the poor people made a collection for the children, on the ground. [Wilderspin's Infant Education. CHARITY SCHOOL OF ST. JOHN's, SOUTHWARK, LONDON. This school was established for the purpose of maintaining, instructing, clothing, qualifying for useful servants, and putting out to service, the female children of the industrious poor of the parish. The school dates its existence from the year 1735, when, in consequence of the increasing population, this parish was taken out of the adjoining one of St. Olave: among the first acts of the inhabitants of the newly-established Parish, was the formation of a school similar in many respects to that which had, already, for many ages existed in the mother parish; it provided for the instruction and clothing of a certain number of the female children of the parish, with a view to fit them for service when they arrived at the age for leaving the school; but there was one alteration made in the system of the then infant school, which the experience of now nearly one hundred years proves to the committee to have been most wise and beneficial, viz. the reception of a certain portion of the children so educated into the house, wholly to be maintained, constantly to be under the eye of a vigilant mistress, and the regulations of a domestic family. The obvi ous tendency of this arrangement is, besides the benefit afforded to the parents, by taking their child entirely off their hands, to secure to the child the full advantage of the instruction, to rescue her from an exposure to vice and temptation, (by which exposure at home, too frequently, all the good derived at school is lost,) and by the blessing of Providence to train her up in that moral and religious way from which when she is old she may not depart. The accommodations of the school-house will allow eighteen children to be thus wholly received into it, and maintained; and though this number has for the last few years been necessarily reduced to fifteen, the present committee have now the pleasure to report that the full number will in a few weeks be put into the establishment, and they indulge the hope that long will be the time before that full number is again obliged to be curtailed. The number of children, therefore, now in the school is as follows:-Forty children educated and clothed, of whom eighteen, besides education and clothing, are wholly maintained. This number is certainly small when compared with the size of the parish, and much it is to be wished that more of the female population could derive the benefit of gratuitous instruction; happily, females are the only children for whom provi-` sion need be made, on account of the royal and munificent foundation of the grammar school of Queen Elizabeth, which not only holds out the advantage of a classical education to those whose parents are desirous that they should avail themselves of it, but extends to some hundreds of the children of a lower class of persons, that measure of useful learning which, were it not for the existence of this institution, the parishioners of St. John would, undoubtedly, feel the expediency of providing for them. [From printed account of the School. MR. NOAH WEBSTER'S PROPOSED DICTIONARY. The following paragraphs are extracted from Mr. Webster's recent letter to the public. 'As I have been preparing a Dictionary for publication, and have, for many years, been teased with the clamor about Walker; I have made a visit to England, and partly with a view to ascertain the real state of the language. I now know, what I before suspected, that no book whatever is considered and received in that country as a standard of orthoepy. There is no standard in England, except that pronunciation which prevails among respectable people, and this though tolerably uniform, is not precisely the same. Walker's scheme does not give this usageit deviates from it as much as Sheridan's, and even more. There are whole classes of words, whose pronunciation, as marked by Walker, is not warranted by any respectable practice in England. I presume, I can select a thousand words, if not double the number, from Walker's Dictionary, marked for a pronunciation which no man would venture to use, in any decent society in that country. And what is more, I affirm that my own pronuciation, which was introduced into my book long before the name of Walker was known in this coun. try, coincides more nearly with all the good practice which I witnessed in England, than Walker's-not that I agree in all respects with that practice, but the differences are few in number. If the people of this country will have an English. book to follow, if nothing but English will answer, I would recommend Jones' Ďictionary, for this pupose.-Jones is a later author, who seems to have followed Walker for the express purpose of correcting his errors-and his work, for the simplicity and consistency of his scheme, is far preferable to any other British publication. |