The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-11-04

WORCESTER COUNTY LYcEUM. On Wednes-
day last, the Worcester County Lyceum, con-
sisting of delegates from the several Town Ly-
ceums in the County, met, pursuant to previ-
Gus notice, in this town, and organized by
choosing the following officers for the current
year, Nathaniel P. Denny, Esq, having declin-
ed reelection as President:
John Davis, President; John Nelson, Vice
President; Ira Barton, Recording Secretary !;
Emory Washburn, Corresponding Secretary 4;
Moses L. Morse, Samuel Hartwell, and Alex
ander Dustin, Curators.
At IL o'clock, the Association repaired to the
South Meeting House, where an appropriate
Address was delivered by Emory Washburn,
Esq. The auditory was very respectable, but
not so numerous as we had hoped to see. We
can hardly imagine an occasion more caleuat-
ed to interest the feelings of an intelligent COM
munity, than one, of which the object is, the
general diffusion of knowledge, and the eleva-
ton Of the standard of common school educa-
ton, and we should have been gratifed at a
more unequivocal evidence that such an inter
est was felt in this place. After hearing the
address, the business of the Association was re-
sumed. The subject of town and county maps
engaged the consideration of the meeting, and,
after some elaboration, resolution was offer
ed by N. P. Denny, Esq, and unanimously
adopted, that committee be appointed to pre-
sent petition to the County Commissioners,
requesting them to order survey of the sever
al towns in the county to be made, with refer
ence to the construction of maps of the coun-
ty and of the several towns therein. The NOV
err, together with ]. Davis and |. Barton, were
appointed for this purpose.
Resolutions were also offered and accepted,
that it is expedient to devise means to establish,
in the several towns, weekly meetings of the
teachers of common schools, for the purposes of
mutual improvement that it is expedient to
introduce into our common schools, portion
of the exercises and apparatus of infant schools;
and that, for this purpose, it is desirable that
central deposit of such apparatus should be es-
tablished; and that it is expedient and desira-
Bile, that the members of the higher classes in
our common schools, should be admitted to the
exercises of the several Lyceums.
These resolutions were advocated by several
gentlemen present, and spirit was manifested
on the occasion which, we wish to see extend
itself to the whole community spirit which,
if generally diffused, would be productive of
great and permanent public good. The time is
not far distant, when radicaland entire change
must take place in the whole system of educa-
ton; when children will not be compelled, for
years, to the drudgery of studying that which
they do not comprehend, and which is OF little
or no use to them after all the labor they have
spent in its acquisition. We verify believe,
that more real practical knowledge may be
taught child in one year, than il took them
seven years to acquire under the old mode of
instruction.
Several beautiful maps were exhibited by
Josiah Holbrook, Esq, to whom the public are
indebted for the first establishment of Lyceums
in this country and whose zeal to promote eve
ry improvement in education, entities him to
rank on the list of public benefactors. A copy
of one of the maps was presented by him to
each Lyeeum in the county.
County LIBRARY After the adjournment of
the Lyceum, on Wednesday last, pursuant to
notice given at the close of the address, in the
Meeting House, public meeting was held to
consider the expediency of adopting measures
to establish public library for the county of
Worcester. The proprety and necessity of the
proposed measure, was zealously and eloquently
enforced by several gentlemen, and commit
tee was raised to devise plan for the formation
and regulation of said Library, and to ascertain
what amount of funds can be obtained for the
purpose. They are to report at an adjournment
of the meeting, to be held at Thomas's Coffee
House, on the evening of Thursday, the 10th of
December next.
To the literary community, particularly to
professional men, the want of such an institu-
ton as that proposed, is seriously felt. There
are very many books, not found in common IL
braries, which such men have frequent occasion
to consult, and they have now no means of doing
il, short of visit to Cambridge, or Boston. 1t
is believed, that the number of those who feel
this inconvenience, is sufficiently great to war
rant the attempt that is about to be made, and
that we may hope soon to see commencement
which may serve as nucleus, around which,
at no distant day, library may be formed, suf
fciently extensive to answer, in great mea-
sure, the wants of the community, and of a
character, honorable 10 the county in which it
is located. One individual informs us that he
has collection of rare and valuable books
which he intends to give as a donation, as soon
as the library is established. Doubtless many
similar instances will occur. How many cases
there are, in which people who have, through