In proof of the latter statement, and as also tending to support other preceding statements, we subjoin an extract from the message of Governor Dix, delivered a few weeks ago to the New York Legislature:

The academy still exists, but in another |ture it affords; and (2) it provides for the form, with subordinate additions. Aggre- primary schools better qualified teachers. gated around it and beneath it are found the various departments of a more primary culture. In some instances this change has occurred on the site of the academy; in others there has been a change of location. In general it may truthfully be said that the change has not been a decline of private academic instruction, but a great progress towards it of public school instruction. If at first sight the academies appear lower, a closer observation will show simply that public schools have risen higher. At this we heartily rejoice. Over any decline in advantages for secondary or academic instruction, and over any decline in public appreciation of such instruction, we should sincerely mourn. But there is no

such decline.

Any further change in the direction here indicated-further incorporation of a separate academic system into the public system-we favor, provided always the change does not lower the character of secondary instruction. Any further change that may create and foster such, as supplementing primary instruction, we heartily favor.

To those who think less than we do of this "absent link" of our system-secondary or academic instruction-we carnestly commend the chapter on this subject in U. S. Commissioner Eaton's Report for 1872. There is here room for only a single sentence:

"I must confess my surprise that so many are either hesitating in supporting this grade of instruction in our public systems of education, or opposing it out right. Apparently they know little of what is done by it, and reflect less upon what it ought to do."

The fact is too often unnoticed that ample provision for secondary tends to stimulate and improve primary instruction. The mere presence of a flourishing acad. emy or high school, benefits the primary schools of the vicinity in two ways: (1) It excites among the more intelligent and advanced pupils of the primary schools an ambition for the higher cul

"In the academies a system of examin ations instituted by the Regents several years since, greatly reduced the number of scholars on which the distribution of the public moneys appropriated to these institutions is made. The reports of the last year show an increase in the number of such scholars of nearly 20 per cent. over the previous year-an increase most gratifying, because it exhibits the salutary influence of higher requirements in scholarship. The Regents are confident that this influence will continue to strengthen and extend, making itself very sensibly felt in the common schools as well as in the academies. The increased appropriations lately made to these institutions are greatly stimulating the work of both teachers and scholars in all departments of instruction. They are specially felt in the classes for the prepa ration of teachers of the common schools, there being an increase of at least 30 per cent. in the number of such teachers now under training, as compared with former years.

This result is regarded by the Regents as the most encouraging; for with all that is done in the normal schools, the acade mies must continue to a great extent to furnish the teachers for the common schools, especially in the rural districts. Whatever is done to elevate and improve the institutions, in which these teachers are trained, will tend directly and positively to advance the schools in which they teach. The range of subjects taught in the academies is wide, and in the character of the instruction and the apparatus provided for the illustration of science, many of these institutions are fully equal to the colleges of a few years ago. The number of academies and academical departments of union schools under the vis itation of the Regents is 210.

THE "Wisconsiz Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters," is holding its annual meeting in the capitol as we go to press. The President, Dr. J. W. Hoyt, has returned from Europe, and is in the chair. His speech at Vienna, alluded to last month, will be found in this issue.

No School and State, as well as no Church and
State.

LETTER OF GERRIT SMITH TO CHABLES STEBBINS.

Here is a letter we like. Bold, earnest, forcible, calm, original, it strikes squarely and strongly at the very roots of our free school system. We like it for its spirit, not for its conclusions. We like it, while we almost everywhere disagree with it. We like it, because it agreeably provokes and stirs us up. We like it, finally, because it comes from one of the best and bravest, if not one of the wisest of men. However we may disagree with Gerrit Smith, we shall always hold him one of Nature's noblemen.

He then speaks of the growing favor with which the proposition for compulsory education is regarded, and says, "however well such compulsion may harmonize with despotic government, it is quite out of place in a republic. It may suit the genius of a people who are owned by their ruler; but it is entirely unsuited to a people each one of whom owns both himself and his children."

There is in this letter much to provoke reflection, and we do not hesitate to advise any thoroughly wide-awake teacher or friend of education who loves the principle of fair play, to send a stamp to the author (at Peterboro, N. Y.) for a copy, and to read it for himself. It is good for a man to have the ground-work of his faith in things occasionally attacked. It makes him a more thoughtful and wiser man. It gives him greater liberality and breadth of view.

Besides, opposition and discussion cannot hurt the truth. Our own faith, for instance, in the free school system, is only strengthened by a thoughtful readNotwithstanding the

For a quarter of a century he has consistently opposed the free school system, has held that "the meddling of the State with the school is an impertinence little less than its meddling with the church." He thinks that "if the State will only stand aside, voluntary offerings will flow in and far more than equal what is raised by taxation." He thinks that "nothing serves so much to maintain a manly and independent spirit in the people-nothing of this letter. ing, indeed, is so essential to their na tional life-as the keeping of government within its normal and narrow limits. A people who hang helplessly on government, and, instead of doing their own work, look to government to do it for them, make a usurper of their govern ment and children of themselves."

He thinks that the signs of the approaching end of this evil of State education are multiplying, and considers that among them is the rising up of the great body of the Roman Catholics against the system. He sees another indication of the approaching downfall of the State school, in its proposing compromises. Any institution may be regarded as near its end when, to prolong its life, it falls to compromising. One of these proposed compromises is to forego prayer in the school.

Another is to forbid all religious teaching in it, and especially to exclude the Bible from it.” Scarcely less unwise is it to exclude religion from the desk of the schoolmaster than from the pulpit of the pastor."

omens of speedy downfall seen by Mr. Smith, we are quite firmly persuaded that the present free school system will last several years. If these are blows from one of its most skillful and experienced enemies, we calmly proceed to devise means, not for defending the existence of the system, but for making it a still more successful and glorious promoter of the happiness and liberties of the people than it now is.

WHICH POLICY?-The following communication may induce some one who has carefully examined the subject and who has had experience, to write some thing in reply. We think it is a good deal a question of circumstances:

NORTHFIELD, Minn., Jan. 20, "74. Supt. Pub. Instruction, Madison, Wis.:

DEAR SIR-May I trouble you for your opinion in regard to a matter of some interest in an educational point, and which is at the present time agitating our quiet, in this village. We are in need of more and better school-rooms, having decidedly outgrown our old accommodations, and public sentiment is somewhat

divided whether it is best to build a good closed. This and other indications of the central school-house where, a school of a letter and circulars lead to the conclusion high grade may be taught, with accom-that Prof. Allen is perhaps the busiest modations for primary schools in conve

nient localities in the village, or two or man in the Golden State.
three, on the old plan without regard to
any higher grades. I am an old teacher,
and am frank to say that I favor the cen-
tral building, but I wish to get the opin
ion of prominent educators on the sub-
ject. Will you be kind enough to give
me your views at as early a day as conve-
Truly yours,

nient.

W. H. MITCHELL.

WINNEBAGO COUNTY.-The schools in the county are doing good work this winter. A change of teachers has been made in four districts, where the schools were in a poor condition and satisfaction is now being given. We are holding teachers' associations once in three weeks which are fully attended by teachers and

friends of education.

H. A. HOBART, Co. Supt. We see by a circular that the Teachers' Association for the county was to be held February 7, at Eureka. Winnebago is one of the counties where associations has been kept up with spirit and good

results.

SAUK COUNTY is another. The N. W. Association met at the "Wheelersburg School House," January 10, with an attendance of about fifty. Messrs. Earthman, Grant, Crouch and Cortelyou, and Misses Kenworthy and Little, with others, took part in the exercises. The secretary, Mr. Cortelyou, remarks: "Although the men, in this as in our other meetings, did the most of the talking, the ladies, it was admitted by all, advanced the best, and most practical ideas." The next meeting was to be held at the "Allen School House," Washington, February 7.

A PLEASANT personal letter just received from Prof. C. H. Allen, President of the State Normal School, San Jose, Cal., conveys the promise of two or three articles for the JOURNAL from his pen during the current year. From inclosed circulars we learn that an Institute Term, held in connection with the Normal School from Jan. 6th to 23d, had just

CARROLL COLLEGE is fuller than at any time before. There are 93 students in actual attendance, besides a small primary class. The new boarding department is in operation and promises well for the institu

tion.

WE clip from a recent copy of the New York Tribune the. following paragraphs in reference to corporal punishment in schools. They meet our approbation. This punishment should be very rarely resorted to, but to absolutely prohibit it removes the final and at times most salu

tary means of reforming an otherwise incorrigible young reprobate:

The Committee on Rules of the Washington Board of School Trustees report that it is not prepared to hazard the expression of an opinion that corporal punishment is not sometimes necessary, and result in the best interests of the pupil so that its proper administration may not punished and of the schools. That this mode of punishment is much too often resorted to by young and inexperienced teachers, it does not gainsay, but that it ited it cannot admit. should be absolutely and entirely prohib

The Schenectady Star says in regard to corporal punishment that "We believe that it will not do, under our system of the right to punish boys who can in no public schools, to deprive the teacher of other way be made to obey the rules of the school. We do not believe that suspension from school is a sufficient remedy, it is too often just what a bad boy likes, and we do not believe school authorities have a right to expel permanently until all other remedies have been tried, and one of these remedies should be corporal punishment."

In spite of the success of the experiment of excluding corporal punishment in the Chicago schools, the Board of Education of that city recently decided not to abolish it formally and legally. The chief argument seemed to be that, corporal punishment being forbidden, suspension was the only resort, and this, becoming too general, was disastrous. The rule prohibiting whipping was lost by two votes.

ONE of the most sensible and commend-vised edition, the work, already a favorite able movements in college circles that has been inaugurated for many a year is that of intercollegiate literary contests. The Tribune has this note of it:

WE give Mr. Shaw's paper on Supervision this month, and hope to give Pres-is time we were.

ident Albee's next; alsó, Prof. Carpenter's The six articles in the initial issue of paper on the Relations of our Public Ed

have come. GOD speed the day!

We cannot dwell upon the "Book Notices;" but when we say that they embrace "Masson's Milton," "Memoir and Letters of Sarah Coleridge," by her daughter; the "Liberal Education of Woman," by Prof. Orton, of Vassar; "Mind and Body," by Prof. Bain; the Poems and the Lives of the Carey Sisters and the Addresses, etc., before the "Evangelical Alliance," we shall have indicated that their scope is of varied and generally of abiding interest, and will only add, that the editor brings experience, point, fairness, insight and a felicitous style to this part of his work. P.

discusses very ably a source of material | the condition in which "the nations shall destruction almost as fearful in its way as learn war no more," a golden age will that moral plague which saps our national honesty, and it touches to the quick the sore spot of fire insurance.-" Deep-Sea Exploration," by Dr. W. B. CARPENTER, will rivet the attention of all but surface readers. The records of the ocean are yielding to the persistent search of science."Universal Education," by RAY PALMER, is a thoughtful and scholarly article. It contains not much indeed that is new, but it takes a broad and wise survey of the subject, and does full justice to the possibilities and needs involved in it. We are particularly pleased with the emphasis given to the need of beginning the work properly in the family, and with the clear recognition of the fact that all will be abortive unless the education given LITTELL'S LIVING AGE for Feb. 7, gives to each generation secures a liberal, a fair sample of the weekly bill of fare: moral and religious culture to all classes." "Mendelsson," by Ferdinand Hiller; We have marked several paragraphs full" Far From the Madding Crowd," part of golden words.-The fifth article, on I; "Sir Edward Landseer," by Miss the "Prussian Church Law," discusses Thackeray; "The Parisians" (concluded), one of the most vital questions of the by Bulwer; "House Martins as Builders;" day-the relations of church and state; a "Universal Suffrage;" "France and subject which we of course cannot readily Italy;" for Poetry, "Requiem of the Rhisee from a European stand point, but one noceros;" "The Swallows;" "A Madathat we shall have to meet in the future. gascar Song," translated by Sir John The writer FRANZ von HOLTZENDORF, Bowring; and Miscellany. In no way Professor of International and Criminal can so much solid, good reading, of Law, Munich, brings to the subject not healthful tone and variety, be obtained only German learning and patience, but for the same money. rare candor and insight. Guided by wise but firm counsels, Europe may safely and at no distant period, pass through an ecclesiastical and religious revolution more extensive and salutary than that of the 15th century.-When we mention that the last article, on "International Arbitration," is by Dr. THEO. D. WOOLSEY, we give assurance to the reader that it could have had no more able exponent.

Forwarded, free of postage, for $8.00. An extra copy for a club of five. Address Littell and Gay, Boston.

THE ATLANTIC, for February, continues "Prudence Palfrey," and "Baddeck and that Sort of Thing," both racy and readable. "Mose Evans," by W. M. Baker, is in a happy vein. "6 Recollections of Aggasiz," by Theo. Lyman, is full of interest. The poetry is passable, and the literary notices are as usual among the best things in the magazine. It is a good number, $4.00 a year. Address H. O. Houghton, Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass.

The dearest interests of humanity are peculiarly involved in the subjects treated in these last three articles. With universal education, for hand, head and heart; with religion swaying men as it should do, and no longer a field of antagonisms, and with the incoming of that condition of the world which must follow the reign of EVERY SATURDAY is becoming more universal education and pure religion-attractive than ever. A new series and