Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT. Organ of the Georgia Teachers Association- Organ of the State School Commissioner, G. J, Orr. W B. W.EOliNELL, Editor. The Use of Apparatus. An Essay read before the Georgia Teacher’s Association August 1st. 1878. BY JOHN F. BONNELL, A. M. That natural science is entitled to a place in cur schemes ot education, has been long since pretty definitely settled. And the extent to which it should enter into a course of liberal education, our institutions for themselves, and for the time at least, have also practically deter mined. I cannot, however, regard the place and limits of science in our curricula as accurately fixed on its comparative merits. And public opinion even on the former question, is not so decidedly ripe, as that arguments on the claims of natural science are out of date. For notwith standing the public mind, for the past decade or more, has been kept in a condition of pro gressive astonishment at her recent flashes, there seems to be yet lingering on it the involuntari- nessof conviction. It presents the case of a man convinced against his will, which usually means that he is not quite prepared to compromise. It was years ago, that a rather bold customer who hailed from the rural distiicts, with great assurance and vaunted skepticism in presence of a learned doctor in science, denied outright the existence and power of electricity. In re sponse to his rash and irreverent challenge, the bolt trem a Leyden Battery placed him at a dis tance of some feet in the attitude of an inverted quadruped—that is with heels and hands up ward and flying. As soon as he recovered suffi ciently to speak, as bis penitent conviction ut tered itself, it was no matter how many lies the doctor told him after that, he was bound to be lieve them. It would be hardly just to assert that the illustration everywhere fits the ease Knocked down we surely are. Spectroscope and telephone and phonograph and microphone —and the last almost at a birth—were overwhel ming things. Yet we must not affirm that the enlightened public mind compromises with the imputation of lies and at the same time the for mation of a penitent resolve on this matter of science. It is a reasonable thing, and physical force,as has always been its boast, never yet al tered one true conviction. But we do not wish to open the original ques tion in this paper designed to be practical. With whatever interest we may await the rational ad justment of the well-determined place of science culture, in the general make-up of a liberal ed ucation, we submit this, let what shall now and ever be done, be well done. I plead earnestly for thoroughness, and in my plea, shall speak for one side of science-teaching. For our teach ing in natural science,both for mankind in gen eral and properly for every individual pupil, is from two sources, each source giving one of the two phases of this kind of knowledge. The ex pression itself ‘natural science,’ will suggest to ns by a short analysis tUese two different sources of our learning. ‘Natural, first—from nature: next‘Science, implying as the scholar knows, the operation of mind, and hence from man. Plainly stated, nature furnishes the facts, the first knowledge, and man makes the science. This statement contains the epitome of the his tory of what wo call natural science. Mankind got the underlying facts origiually from nature; and men raised upon them a superstructure— science. I am about to maintain that this is nrfc, only the historical method.bat likewise the nec essary and logical one; and that in actual teach ing for thoroughness of work, by how many de grees we depart from this original method, by so much do we leave, or as it may sometimes turn out, invert the true logical order in science teaching. Man has not only constructed the part called science; but for so long a time the statements of men have been substituted for the original ut terances of nature, in our ways of teaching science. Books have been relied on where ap paratus was the truly necessary thiDg. And even where apparatus has been employed, it has almost always played a secondary part. It is as if some dogmatic savant had solemnly pronoun ced a truth, and then called on nature to say amen. Then I say here in distinct terms that the method followed in history is only the great an alogue of the logically true method proper to be adopted in teaching science in our institutions oi learning. And I hold that on this method, •Knowledge,’as one has well said, ‘must pre cede science; for science is nothing else but systematized experience and knowledge.’ Here let me say for well direction, that with too great frequency, as we conceive, cur instruction in the class-room is prepared and administered to the class »s such, as if the individuals that make up the class were somewhat ignored. It should be an < xpression constantly foremost in teach ing that the unit of education is the individual, and the subject of our instruction the individ ual mind. I have no sympathy and little toler ation for that loose style, common with some teachers, of dealing out their teaching to masses, that those who can may take on a modicum. In the matter before us then, I propose that it is to each individual pupil's mind that we design to give what the world itself nas learned, a con ception of science, and by the same process adapted to the ct se by the uso of appliances and guide-books. In accordance, therefore, with the truth just announced, a logical conception of science in a student’s education mnst be laid primarily in a knowledge of its facts. The ques tion then is narrowed down to this, what is the best course for securing this primary knowl edge ? To every one my answer is obvious, by the proper use of apparatus. The design of a piece of apparatus is an ex periment, as we call ii: the design of an experi ment is to Bhow a natural truth. ‘An experi ment,’ as some one has said, ‘is a question put to nature. The disciplinary office of experi ment immediately is to prepare a student rightly to question nature. And (he educational value of this disciplinary preparation is to be seen in the fact that he who is trained rightly to qnestion nature, so as to adduce satisfactory responses, will be found to have learned the better thereby te frame logical inquiries in other fields of learn ing and to estimate evidence. Now that one may receive true, first-hand rev elations from Nature, he mnst stand personally face to Lee with her. This is the fundamental conception, and will constitute the thread of this argument. What do we mean precisely by ttis attitude, face to face with nature? Noth ing more, and certainly nothing less than that to secure permanent knowledge of the facts of natural science, every learner must be led to employ practical methods by the use of appar atus. I plead then for a practical knowledge of the methods ot science, this to be secured only by the systematic manipulation of apparatus of some description. Hence, the hands and senses generally of the student should be frequently employed and trained in the making of experi ments for himself. I argue for this great advantage for the young learner cn the ground, first, that knowledge acquired is knowledge at first hand; and that 'facts, look oil at directly,’ as Prof. Tyndall says, ‘are vital; when they pass into words, half the sap is taken out of them.’ This considera tion may be strengthened and enlarged by the addition also of the statement that ‘every fact has numerous radiations which are shown off by the man who describes it,* as Tyndall also beau tifully puts it The lumioons beams of a truth fresh from Nature are polarized by every aot of reflection. It is, futhermore, significant testimony on the poiDt that no true lover of science was ever con tent with a verbal account of natural truths. To say nothing of the devotees of scienc , properly so recognized, in yonng students in whom this predilection for scientific study was seen to be budding, there has also been always observed an accompanying desire to have to do with the practical work of experimenting. They see as bv a sort of foresight, that vitality with which the facts and phenomena of nature are preg nant. They see the glow of those radiations that start from truths fresh-born of Nature. But in view of this very fact that the lover of science de ires practical wotk, it is pertinent if not suggestive to ask—and the qnestion is put in the collection of numerous deplored facts—if science-study is not taken up generally now by the yonng from the love of it, are we to enforce it by every summary method that the personal convenience of the teacher may snggust, in ut ter indifference of the fact that it may be receiv ed with repugnance and submitted to with dis gust The common use of apparatus iu our institu tions of learning is owiug to what every educa tor concedes and knows,that without experiment, wiibout the sense-demonstration of natural truths, there is really little substantial instruction afforded in the department of natural science. But, carried out in the common way of using ap paratns, how partial is this doctrine, implying, as it does, that by merely placing before a pa pil’s eyes a set of instruments, the mechanism ofrwhich is a mystery, and manipulating them utader his inspection, he is thoroughly taught alt that they can demonstrate to him. If we take the pains at any time to test the average pa pil on scientific principles so taught him and on the method of illustrating and demonstrating them we shall be surprised to find only strange vagueness, or it may be, want of knowledge. Des timony on this point has been found both vol untary and incidental. Students of good stand tog and maturity have confessed to obscurity and lack of thoroughness in their science cul ture. And the examination papers of undergrad uates have with signileant, frequency yielded the same evid^ice. These things have obsti nately come out when there were not lacking approved study, simplified explanation and com mon style experimenting. But it should not be inferred from this point and statements nnder the preceding that there is no inherent attraction about science, or that scientific knowledge is beset with uncommon difficulties. The truth is, that were attractive ness an aim, there is no knowledge which can be made more interesting than scientific know! edge taught by proper methods and begun at the right season, aDd this being true it were sufficient of itself to dissipate the suspicion of unusual difficulties. But even otherwise con sidered, the difficulties in learning natural sci ence are intrinsically no greater than these which lie about every pathway of learning. Herbert Spencer has indeed clearly shown that scienti fic knowledge dues not differ in nature from or dinary knowledge; and so striking was Prof. Huxley’s conception of this truth that he pro posed, as the proper time for the beginning of one's scientific education, ‘the 'lawn of intelli gence.’ Were it necessary, in fact, plentiful tes timony might be brought to the point iu the fa vor of science study. But to turn this caution ary paragraph on the d'ffioulties and attractions of science to account on the argument we may here point to the fact that the very plan of teach ing it which we advocate on independent grounds is the plan par excellence by which its attractive ness may be increased, an interest in it duply excited, and even an enthusiasm created. One of the most valuable {fleets on the growti. of the mind of scientific study is derived from the habitual contemplation of the connections between natural phenomena. ‘Every occurrence in Nature,’ says Tyndall, ‘is proceeded by other occurrences which are its causes, and succeeded by others which are its effects. The human mind is not satisfied with observing and study ing any natural occnmnces alone, but takes pleasure in connecting every natural fact with what has gone before it and with w hat is to come after it.’ The characteristic influence exerted upon the mind by the exercise here suggested is never so fresh and educating as when deriv ed by the practical methods that we are com mending. A deeper logical insigut into these relations of phenomenas invariably yields to the more thorough experience in the use of appara tus. And not the most valuable training influ ence comes of the mere ability to look at things as Nature offers them to our inspection; but of that mastery in manipulation and desigu by which she is forced to show herself under con ditions prescribed by the experimenter himself. Under what processes, indeed, can the mind be more forcibly impressed with the operation of the laws of Nature—those very thoughs of God, as Ocosted beautifully conceived them—than when one train or chain ot phenomena is sing led ent for contemplation by means of such ap paratus-designs under intelligent control as eliminates for the time all elements foreign to the logical sequence of the phenomena under investigation. It is true that under the constraint ~ shortness of time the argument at this place becomes somewhat abstract. We cannot duly expand into what might itself become a lengthy thesis, the snbstance of this short passage. But to show a failing in this direction by a practical illustration, it is a frequent thing that the pu pil is so unaccustomed to the olose inspection of apparatus that he never learns the general con nection of its parts, even after it has been ope rated in the teacher’s hands, and consequently never recognizes its complete design. Let ns suggest here a thought that springs from the concern that teachers feel for the gen eral intellectual character of their pupils, whioh it is their aim to develop. These praotioal pro cesses with appliances, whioh I would fain have time more fully to say are not necessarily con- finable to the natural science department, are a type of those educational methods that may be used to counteract the influence on independ ent thought of mere book authorities, and con fer upon the unfolding mind a healthy, vigor ous, fearless tone. Learners are more or less timid. Their timidity is not more curious than obstructive. Aotive learning is almost always a qnestion of courage; and our dullest boys are hence the greatest moral cowards. If we can place the brand on any one thing in character distinctively for capital defect, it is the lack or failing of courage at the right season. And if any methods of instruction can bring assurance to a learner’s mind in the subjects of his study, they are the methods to be emphasized. It is the independence and the certainty of knowl edge that accompany the use of methods like these under consideration, which stroDgly im press them upon our attention. Of oourse it will hardly be supposed that the methods we set forth and advooate would super sede the use of ttxt-books and labor of teachers, since it will be remembered that we made by division or analysis, two faotors in complete sci ence culture: first, experimental work, and next ayaematizing of facta into theoretical teaohing. In our text- booka, as sometimes happens,a course for the former may be laid out ..accompanied with the latter—a systematic treatise Some books in science lately published, while incorporating these two distinct things, make no actual divis ion or separation of them by the arrangment. While with proper management there is no very great objection to this, it should, nevertheless, be not forgotten that on the principle before stated, which calls for a division in substance, an amount of real knowledge should always pre cede and underlie any systematic statement of scientific philosonhv.' Not only should pupils be taught the personal use of apparatus by their own hands and senses, but I would propose furthermore that they should be encouraged and prompted to impro vise practical illustrations when practicable, and induced (if possible under skillful teaching) to design them. It may be, indeed, they will fre quently design what they cannot make. They may suggest originally what they are not me chanically skillful enough to carry out. The power is extremely valuable whenever found. It is a feature of invention. Does any one doubt that it may be developed in young pupils ? Why not here as in other fields of study ? It is the same faculty brought into play and exercised in the practice of inventive drawing, and is closely analogous to the mental process of original dem onstration and solution in the study of geome try. Now as to schemes for parctically working these methods into our courses, it may be merely remarked that they are not inelastic and would vary in application with teachers and their places. It may be suggested that such schemes of in struction iu science would involve modifica tions of many present plans. Yet this may start no great apprehension, since no distructive changes are necessary to inaugurate the method. One may propose that our appliances may not be snfficent for such a plan. Wherever there is any sort of apparatus the plan may be used with success; and in lack of this we suggest there aro instances exceedingly numerous when ap paratus of great simplicity, may be employed with good results. But in those c 'ses where the greatest completeness of work and fullness of appliances are desired, the want cf these will be a deep misfortune more or less until the true place and value of science is practically established and its thorough cultivation ade quately rewarded in our institutions. And here we may as well close with the state ment of a qnestion of some general importance and one that appeals to our public interest and concern for progre°s. We are that our institntions should turn out schools in litera ture, generally and specially: generally, as our present curricala show; especially, as the in creasing premiums on exhibitions of purely literary excellence evince. But by what mani festations do we show any desire for the devel opment of superior scientific scholarship ? Or by what special encouragements do we evince the hope tbat our educational systems may ever turn out an' thing of scientific industry ? Or if these questions are one style ahead of their place—for what reasons—seeing that practical science is so valuable, and science-education so developing, does literature pure monopolize the the premiums ? I submit the inquiry. The Dible in the Schools. Tile Curious Compact Made by a. Connecti cut Clerical Committee, (Special Correspondence N. Y. Herald.) New Havrn, Och 2G.—So many mistakes have crept into the published accounts of the New Haven school agitation that a brief review of the entire qne.-tiou is necessary for its proper un derstanding. Up to within a few months the simple religions exercises which are usually practiced iu public schools were in vogue here. The Catholics, however, maintained several pa rochial schools of their owo, and in one build ing, which was owned by a Catholic parish and leased by the schookauthorities, Catholic Sisters were employed as ju^rs, although the exer cises were uniform with those in the other schools. There had been no particular agitation of the subject, wheu suddenly three or four months ago the school board voted to dispense with religious exercises in the schools. The board was nearly equally divided on the ques tion. The only C ithoiic member voted with the minority, and Ptofessor Francis A. Walker, of the scientific school, with the majority. A fierce agitation at once arose and the whole city was divided into the ‘Bible’and ‘anti-Bible’ factions, the former being led by that eminent ward pol itician and wire-puller, PostmasterN. D. Sperry, the John Kelly of this congressional district, while Prof. Wm. G. Sumner, whoisalsoanepis copal clergyman, was prominent in the councils of the ‘anti-Bibie party.’ In the midst of the discussion the board increased the feeling of the Catholics by enlarging some of the other school buildings and closing that which had been con ducted by the sisters. The Catholic clergymen denounced this action as inspired by religious bigotry, and the board replied tbat it was its pol icy to use the buildings owned by the city rath er than those leased from outside parties. By the time the day for the annual school election came around the excitement was intense, and a spirited canvass had been made. The ‘Bible’ party was composed of the Catholics and the more aotively religious portion of the Protes tants, and the pulpits of both seots echoed with appeals in favor of the ‘Bible’ candidates, who were finally successful at the polls by large ma jorities. Thereupon ex-President Woolsev, of Yale, the Rev. Dr. Bacon and the Rev. John E. Todd (who, by the way, is a son of the famous Dr. John Todd, of Pittsfield) all Congrsgationalists, and the Rev. Dr. Harwood, rector of Trinity Church, were invited to meet the Rev. Messrs. Fitzpatrick and Murphy, Catholics, in order te draw up a form of religious exercises whioh should suit everybody and which might be of fered to the sohool board for adoption. The Jewish rabbi was not asked, as the Hebrews and Germans generally had been ardent ‘anti-Bible’ people. Dr. Woolsey was ill, and did not at tend. The others held two meetings, found it was impossible to prepare a form to whioh both Catholics and Protestants could give assent, and agreed upon the following plan: In case the Catholic children numbered less than thirty per cent, of the member of any school, the teacher or one of the pupils should read one of about thirty selections of Scripture, the Lord’s Prayer and the ten commandments, the sohool main taining a respeotful silence; but in case the Catholio children numbered thirty per cent., they were to be permitted to withdraw to anoth er room and by themselves use the ‘liturgy’ which was published in to-day’s World, includ ing the Lord's Prayer, the Augelio Salutation (‘Hail, Mary,’ etc.,) and the Apostles’ Creed, the remainder of the school holding the other exer- oises. In the committee the Protestant clergy men endeavored to have the Angelic Salntation omitted, and the Catholio priests tried to get the percentage limit reduced from 30 to 20. and both parties only yielded for the sake of arriving at an agreement. It was not the intention of these gentlemen that the result of their conference should be made known until it had been submitted to the school board, and Dr. Harwood and Messrs. Todd and Fitzpatrick denounce its publication at this time a gross breach of faith. It has ef fected a sensation here, especially among the Protestant members of the ‘Bible’ party, who had expected that the only effect of their votes would be to restore the old system, and have now got more than they bargained for. To a World reporter to-day, Dr. Harwood, of the coir- mittee, said that the present exercises—tbat ip, the oid system restored—were obj< oted to only by the Catholics, and that there had been an un derstanding that if the different clergymen could come to au agreement upon a form, the school board would accept. In the committee the two Catholic clergymen had offered this published ‘liturgy’ as the embodiment of what would be satisfactory to their people, and he had agreed to it as the only way to meet an admitted diffi culty and in order that the committee might be unanimous. He could not see why the new de votional exercises, if undertaken in good faith, should fail or encourage dissatisfaction between pupil and pupil, or pupil and teacher. The reporter next talked with the members of the school board. H. D. Bushnell thought the plan of aseperate room in which certain scholars should receive religious instruction was not practicable. He believed earnestly in some sort of devotional exercises, and thought some plan could be devised by whioh all the children could recite together, and that the simplest form was the best. A. D. Osborne had no opinion to express as present exercises suited him well enough. He could not say what he would do in case the manual printed in the papers was submitted to the board. Samuel Hemingway thought the manual was rather strong and that the present plan onght to do well enough. A business friend had told him that a committee of busi ness men could devise something better than the clergymen had. He thought their plan hardly feasible. H. M. Welch thought the clergymen had ‘put their foot in it.’ He held that the vote settled it that a return should be made to the old ways and forms, and that was the best thing that could be done. John E. Earle preferred not to say how he should act if the manual should come before the board. Ho smiled when he said that five worthy gentle men had got up an admirable production, and h believed in letting them have all they wanted of it They were a self-constituted committee, Mr. Znnder, the Hebrew member of the board, said the clergymen had taken this responsibili ty upon themselves. He thought both Catho lics and Protestants would look upon the plan as ridiculous, and that there was no more prob ability of its beiDg adopted than of the adoption of the Talmud, The Jewish children would not be hurt by hearing the exercises. In some of the schools there were no rooms to which the children could withdraw for their devotions. To be practicable there must be one service for all. The Jews had no objection to the Proverbs, little to the Lord's Prayer, none to most of the hymns, except those of Moody and Sankey The committee's plan would be disastrous to the republic, for the children would be taught by it to distinguish each other by their religious faith. Mr. Sweeney thought a plan of worship might be adopted which the children might comply with without the withdrawal of any. Professor Walker, who, as has been already said, voted to discontinue the religious exercises in schools in the first place, declared that the subject could be treated only in two ways, by obliging the pnplis to conform by law to the form prescribed or by making thf schools purely secular. It was impossible that any form of worship could be prepared which should be satisfactory to all faiths. There were no apart ments for those of different beliefs to worship in and the form proposed was inconvenient, if not wholly impracticable. Major Malley, the Catho lic member, thougbt a much simpler form could be devised, and was in favor of the repeating of the Lord’s prayer and the ten commandments and singing of a hymn. Industrial Education. Tennessee. Proceedings East Tenu. Institute. The Eastern Division Institute of Tennessee met at Greenville, Tennessee, on Wednesday, October the 30, 1878. Prayer by Rev. R. G. Pierson. Dr. W. S. Doak was elected Vice Pres ident, and Profs. C. L. Patton, of Mississippi and H. M. Sherwood of Morristown elected Sjp- retaries. ™ The Address of Welcome was delivered by Prof. J. C. Park, of Greenville, and cordially and gracefully responded to by Hon. Leon Trous dale, State Snpt., of Nashville. Dr. W. S. Doak, of Tusculnm, made a forcible addrets on ‘The Force and Power of Language.” Other Addresses aud Papers as follows:— ‘How to Make our Schools Successful,’ by Supt, H. M. Sherwood. 'Order the First Law,’ by Prof. L Smith, of Bulls’ Gap, ‘Mathematics,’ by Prof. W. A. Kite, of Tusculnm, ‘The Unappreci ated Infiueuoe of the Teacher,’ by Prof. J. K. P. Sayler, of Romeo, ‘History of Mathematics,’ by Prof. S- H. Lockett, of Knoxville. The Exercises on Thursday: ‘Intelligence the Foundation of Prosperity;’ by R?v. S. V. M> Corkle, Greenville; ‘Phonetics;’ by Prof. S. C Hanson, of Greenville; ‘Preperation in Life, by Prof. J. C. Miller, ofCaney Branch; Qualification of a Good Teacher,’ by Rev. J. C. Barb, of Mo- sheim; ‘Getlogy,’ by M»j. J. H. Robinson, of Greenville; ‘No Present Time !’ by H. M. Sher wood, of MorristowD; ‘Our Mother Tongue,’by by Prof. E. S. Joynes. of Knoxville. On the third day: ‘Advantages of Normal School,’ by Prof. S. C. Hanson; ‘Our School Buildings,’ by Dr. D. Sullins, of Bristol; ‘How to Teach An cient Languages,’ by Dr. Joynes. There were several interesting discussion and in promptu addresses. A permanent Institute was organized. All were well pleased with tb.e proceedings. The music on the occasion was of the very best kind, and enraptured the hearts of the audience. The citizens of Greenville very hospitably en- etrtained all present. May its influence be felt in all coming time ! Very respectfully, J. K. Sayi.eb, Romeo, Tenn. Children’s Books. It is probable tbat many of our readers have remarked the tone now adopted in books for the young; books written not merely for amuse ment, but instruction; books not addressed to the parents, but their children; ridiculing old restraints; assuming that the raoe has been op pressed long enongh by absurd restrictions; that children have come into the world to make a noise; that it is the part of good parents to put up with it, and to make every household arrangement with a view to their sole pleasure and convenience. We give a short extract: ‘My house is a bear-garden,' says papa, from a ba- ble of sounds. ‘Wife, cannot you control those ohildren?’ Mamma only smiles; she is the gen tlest, sweetest, best little mother in the world. You know what a good mother means? It means, among other things, ‘no nerves,’ ‘no headaches,’ ‘no fancies, ‘no thought of self;’and so she only smiles at the racket going on. Is not this as much as to say that the ohildren of the house are masters of the house; that if the father complains that his house is turned into a bear-garden, he is a grumbler; that the real, true and admirable mother prefers her children’s pleasure to her husband’s comfort; that if the mother has ‘nerves’ and ‘headaches,’ it is her duty to suppress them, rather than they shall be inconvenienced? Some may think that we are turning a joke into a serious matter; but it is not a joke to instill into children’s minds that this is a pleasant state of things, and that those boys and girls are fortunate who can set at defiance all rules of domestio law and order. Books whioh teach lessons like these are posi tively injurious to the young. * Whet’s that man yelling at?’ asked an Illi nois farmer of a boy. ‘Why,’ chuckled the boy, ‘ he’s yelling at the top of his voice.’ The following is an extract from the fifth an nual report of the Commissioner of Agriculture of Georgia for the year 1878. The time has come in Georgia for the educa tion of our youth to be directed into more prac tical channels, and especially directed to impart ing instruction which will peculiarly fit our young men for greater efficiency and useful ness in the productive industries of the State. For this purpose we need schools of agricul ture, mining auu uieoLaiiics, so distributed ns to be accessible at nominal cost to the boys and young men in every section of the State, where, besides the usual studies of the grammar school, a course of instruction adapted to the pecnliar wants of prospective producers shall be provid ed, where the student can learn things as well as words; where the industrial pursuits will bo dignified by intellectual training, specially fit ted to promote not only the mental development of those who are to take the important position in society as producers, but the future wealth, prosperity and independence of the whole State. Much of practical utility, also, may be engraft ed upon the course of instruction now pursued in our female schools, which would add useful accomplishments to the flippant refinements which tend more to produce costly ornaments to society than useful members of the home-circle. It is not proposed to lessen the refined accom plishments of female education, but rather to add to them such useful instruction as will fit our young ladies for the responsible positions of life, which both the laws of Nature and the conventionalities of society destine them to fid. The education of our young should, in fnture, be directed not only to training the miDd for systematic intellectual labor, but that training should look to the development of useful men and women; to laying the foundation not only for the gymnasium ot professional exercise and the are na of non-productive consumers, but for the active, inviting fields of the productive indus tries. Besides the local industrial schools, the uni versity, with its college of agriculture and the mechanic arts, will furuish the means of higher classical education, as well as a technological school, where those who wish to acquire a thor ough scientific training will find the means of gratifying their ambition. The technological college will supply instruc tors for the schools, or valuable investigators of truth in the natural sciences. With a thorough system of industrial schools and colleges once inaugurated, and well patron ized, in Georgia, the next generation would find our productive industries crowded and our State prosperous. Too long have our educational systems been devoted to the refinements of mental develop ment resulting in filling the professions and oth er non-productive occupations to ov6r-flowing. A wise statesmanship demands the introduction of such training as will make fnture generations intelligent, skillful producers. Such agencies as industrial schools and col leges, the State should foster for the education of the young. When agriculture prospers in Georgia, all classes of her citizens participate in her pros perity. When it suffers, those engaged in every other occupation, however apparently discon nected, feel a corresponding depression. It is the great hsart of the State, from which the life-blood which sustains every department of business flows. If it is crushed, the State suffers financial death. If it is prosperous, eve ry other branch of business is filled with life. In view of these facts, it behooves the State to look to her own advancement through the in creased knowledge and skill of her producers, and the resulting development of her material resources. A wise statesmanship will foster the sources from which the financial life-blood of the Commonwealth is derived. To the farmers generally, for their moral sup port to the Department and kind words of ap probation of its adminis ration, my thanks are due and hereby tendered. In conclusion, allow me to thank your Excel lency for co-operation in farthering the great productive Interests of the State, and for court esies extended to me personally and officially. Georgia. Prof. Owens, well known as a leading educa tor in Virginia, has charge of the Summerville academy near Augusta. He is assisted by Miss Breden a highly educated Virginia lady. The trustees ot this school have recently come into possession of a legacy of $50,000 in Georgia Rail Road stock, bequeathed by Mr. Robinson a former resident of the village. The location is a fine one; and Prof. Owens and his accom plished assistant have opened under flattering auspices. An election was held on Saturday the 21, inst. for one member of the Board of Education in each ward in the city of Augusta, and each dis trict in the county of Richmond. The old members were reelected Mr. Martin V‘Calvin, member from the 1st, ward, declined a reelection, but the people voted him in any way. He will serve; as his interest in educa tional matters has not diminished. Hon. J. S. Davidson is now President of the Board of Education of Richmond county. No man in the county has done more in the cause of public education than he. Mrs. Emily H. Tubman donated some months since to the Board of Education of Richmond county a fine building and lot, valued at $13,- 000, for the purpose of sustaining the Girl3 High School. Dignity of Manners. The dignity of manners, says a distinguished French writer, consists in always taking one’s proper station, neither too high or too low; and this is as much within the reach of the peasant as the prince. This is quite true. But in democracies, es pecially when unrestrained by an enlightened and virtnous public sentiment, all stations ap pear doubtful. They are always transitory and uncertain. The peasant of yesterday is the landlord of to-morrow. The butcher and the baker of one decade, is the legislator and the magistrate of th9 next. The magistrate of last year, is the private citizen of this. And so far as it lies in the power of money to create an ar istocracy, the aristocracy of one generation shifts position with the commonality of the next;and the sons and daughters of cobblers and tipler3 take their station among the leaders of fashion. Every one is constantly endeavoring to shift po sition ; nobody is quite satisfied, and nothing and nobody seems settled or secure in a given position. Hence it happens that in a democracy, unat tended by a high intellectual aud moral stand ard, there is little or no true dignity in man ners. The manners cf such a people, though seldom wanting in arrogance and vulgar dis play, are usually wanting in dignity; it is equal ly true that they are seldom either well dis ciplined or accomplished. And, if in excep tional cases, very high bred manners are found in union with very low bred feelings, it must be attributed to the same general cause.—Ob- 8EBVEE. The youngster who was sent away from the table just as the pastry came on went sadly up stairs Binging ‘ Good-by sweet tart, good-bye.’