The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-09-16
From the Boston Traveller.
AMERICAN LYCEUM-No. 8.

|
AMERICAN LYCEUM-No. 8.
County Lyceums. Procuring town and
county maps, effecting agricultural and ge-
illogical surveys, and introducing into COM
mon schools portion of the infant school
apparatus. have already been mentioned as
reasons for Immediately organizing county
lyceums. Besides efecting these most i'm
portant objects by such a measure, it is i'm
poriant, If not necessary, to give interest,
utility and permanency to town lyceums.
These objects themselves would afford great
interest to every branch lyceum, which
should unite with its neighbors to effect
them. Several other measures might be
adopted BY county lyceums, to insure the
prosperity and perpetuity of the institution.
One OF the first obstacles which has pre-
sented itself to the minds of those endeav-
oring to establish branch society, is the
want Of a teacher or lecturer. 1t is not ac-
knowledged that this obstacle has anv ex-
lstence. except in the imagination of those
who see it; but allowing it to be real, it
can be wholly removed by county or dis
trict lyceum. Several lyceums in the same
vicinity might unite in employing a teacher
or lecturer, who should visit them all in sue
cession at stated periods, and afford them
all the aid they would need in conducting
their operations. A county or district teach
er might give familiar experimental lectures,
on such subjects of science as should be
thought expedient, -explain to them the
uses OF their apparatus, give the names, de-
scriptlons, uses, and localities of minerals,
and other specimens in natural history,
which they might collect, and aid them in
special manner, in making geological and
agricultural surveys, and in furnishing them
with some important materials of town
maps.
The expense to a county of employing
such teacher, allowing that he received,
as ne ought to receive generous compensG-
tion, would be mere trife, and would prob
ably be saved many times over, from other
objects less important, if not pernicious.
If it should be said that teachers, proper
y qualified for such an object. cannot be
found, 1t may be replied, that if liberal COM
pensations and inducements were offered,
they would soon be made.
Besides instruction which might be pro-
cured by the union Of several lyceums, they
might own in common to great advantage,
some expensive articles of apparatus. A
telescope, for. example, would probably be
thought too expensive to be generally own
ed by each town lyceum; but by several,
which might be perfectly accommodated
with it, especially when used and explained
oy their lecturer, it might be procured with
the greatest ease. Telescopes are now so
improved in their construction. that one
may be procured for 800, which will mag
Nifty hundred and fifty times.
county lyceum might own n library,
which under some regulations, might be
used for the advantage of all its branches.
Fire~o noizLA aarae;ta for all the
hooks, from which they should he taken, by
all entitled to the use of them, or it might
he divided, and portion deposited in each
town lyceum, and at stated periods the sew
eral depostes exchanged. The latter ar
rangement would, probably be preferable,
as it would bring the books more directly
in contact with those for whom they were
intended, and perhaps the impression that a
deposite was to continue but short time
in place, would induce readers TO make
more prompt use of it, than if it were to
continue for an indefinite period.
The reasons for taking measures imme-
diately for organizing county lycemms, are
numerous and urgent. And 1t is hoped
that the last resolution passed by meeting
lately held in Boston, to consult upon meas
ures 10 advance the interests of popular ed
ucation, will be generally acted upon
that meetings win be held in all our towns,
as soon as practicable, to read pamphlet
lately published upon this subject, or an ar
( ticle in the 37th number of the Journal of
Education" and that at these meetings,
delegates will be appointed to meet in the
latter part October, or the Is. of November,
to organize county lyceums. franklin.