Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

vances. He thus redeems a large portion of time for other branches of study, and for useful accomplishments.

In the first stages of elementary education, much has been done of late to facilitate instruction by the use of a simpler method of teaching the art of reading. The system of Fulton and Knight, which is now so prevalent in Scotland and in England, and which corresponds exactly to that recommended by the Edgeworths, is an invaluable expedient for saving time and labor, and at the same time furnishing the most thorough discipline. Greater improvements, however, are now making in this department. The most valuable of these is fully exemplified in Worcester's Primer, in which the leading feature of the plan is to let children become acquainted with words as they do with all other ocular objects, not piecemeal, not letter by letter, but at once and in the aggregate; the synthetic process preceding the analytic, as it naturally does. The latter method will be found still more speedy and efficacious than the other. Our future numbers will furnish specimens of instruction on this plan.

The year which has elapsed since the commencement of the Journal, has furnished some valuable contributions to the improvement of education, in the increasing number of reading books, designed for the diffusion of useful knowledge or of literary taste. It is a circumstance highly propitious to the intellectual and moral character of the young, that the books which they are daily perusing, and which necessarily leave deep impressions on the memory, are acquiring an aspect so friendly to their best interests. Several useful works of this kind, in various departments, have been brought forward in our notices; and in thus recommending them, we have not, we trust, proposed an unnecessary addition to the expenses of education. In schools where it is not advisable to introduce such works generally among the scholars, a single copy of each book,-passed, as it is read, from hand to hand, and introduced in the way of reward or recreation to proper classes, may leave lasting and useful impressions on the minds of youth. The dissemination of intelligence and the general improvement of society, may thus be silently but effectually promoted to an indefinite extent.

The limits to which we are now restricted, will not permit us to indulge in a wider survey of our present subject; and we have but little space left in which to say anything of the future direction and character of our own efforts.

We may say, briefly, that the demands of improvement, as well as a persona conviction of duty, will lead us to reserve our pages more strictly for the admission of such matter as seems best adapted to promote practical reformation in instruction. We shall thus, we trust, render the Journal more valuable to parents and instructers who are desirous of using it as an assistant in their exertions for the expanding minds committed to their charge, and more serviceable to the views of school committees who are disposed to furnish the teachers whom they employ, with such aid as may be derived from our pages.

In casting a glance forward on the probable progress of another year, we must look to the support of those classes of the community that have just been mentioned, as most interested in our exertions. We feel called on to particularise another class of readers who may render effectual assistance not merely to our labors, but to the advancement of society--we mean the clergy; who may naturally be expected to take a deeper concern in the affairs of intellectual and moral improvement, than any other body of men.

Their aid has, indeed, to a considerable extent, been cheerfully afforded hitherto. But more, perhaps, might yet be done, by the pulpit being oftener employed for the purpose of urging the duty of general exertion for the improvement of education. Something might thus be effected more worthy of the example of our ancestors, and the interests of our country,-something more directly conducive to the advancing melioration of our race.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE unusual labor necessarily demanded by the preparation of the closing number of this volume, has put it out of our power to furnish our usual notices of school and juvenile books.

Among the works which claimed particular attention we can only hastily mention the annual supply of juvenile publications for the season, furnished by Messrs. Munroe & Francis, of this city. Their selections for the present year seem peculiarly happy in many particulars which will be mentioned more at length in next number.

In the same department have been received an interesting selection from works published by Messrs. Wood and Son, New York.

Similar publications, embracing the series of the American Sunday School Union, have also come to hand. Of these there are many which we shall take an early opportunity of recommending to our readers.

The review of the Classical Reader will be given in our next; also several notices which have been unavoidably postponed.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Law school at Northampton,
Mass. ;
Gymnasium at Cambridge; 250
Public schools in Pennsylvania;

249

[blocks in formation]

251

American Sunday School Union;

[blocks in formation]

457

Round Hill school, Northamp-
ton;
State of schools in Boston; 439
Albany Lancaster School; 440
Monitorial High School, Gen-
eseo, New-York;
441
Connecticut common schools;

441
British and Foreign School So-
ciety;
445
Mr. Emerson's Female Semi-
506

nary;
Mr. Thayer's School, Boston:
508, 561
College in Philadelphia; 566
American Annual Register; 568
Juvenile Miscellany; Map of
Boston;

569

631

632

American Asylum for the deaf
and dumb;
Sandwich Islands; Kosciusko
School;
Physical culture and medical
admonition;
633
Franklin High School, Phila-
delphia; Renssellaer School,
Troy, New-York; 634
Col. Amoros' gymnastic school,
Paris;
London Mechanics' Institution;
Education in Lower Canada;
690
Education among the Hotten-
tots;
691
Mexico; Colleges in the United
States;
692

689

New-York central school; 693
Education in Buenos Ayres;
122, 694
Columbian college, District of
Columbia;
696

Gymnastic exercise for females;

698

[blocks in formation]
« ForrigeFortsett »