Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-02-08
EDUCATION.
From the Saturday Courier.
TO The PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLS.
Meehanicsburp. Pa. Jan |. 1897.

"cChuHLCSOhTS, FG. Jan. |, 1881.
My YOU'VE FRIENDs-I have several
reasons for addressing you. One is, an
agreeable recollection of repeated visits to
many Of your school rooms, where have
witnessed your exercises, your improve.
ment, and your happiness
Another is the pleasure have felt from
visits to numerous other schools, far re-
moved from yours, but partaking largely
OF the spirit which animates you, and In
no small degree enjoying the benefits OF
your efforts
AS it may excite your surprise, while it
affords you pleasure, to learn that you
have rendered your studies useful to 9th
ers, many others, at a far remove from
you, l will relate very briefly, by what
means many schools in the interior ofthis
state, also those in other states, have re-
ceivsd the benefits Of your efforts and i'm
provements.
The first thing that strikes the eye, and
moves the heart ola visiter, as he enters a
school (many schools. in this and other
parts Of Pennsylvania is a collection OF
children with cheerful countenances, in
fine order. and busily and happily en-
ployed; busy and happy because employ
ed in acquiring useful knowledge, which
seldom, if ever, fails to interest and ami
mate young minds.
A prominent cause and means of the
diligence and happiness of this sprightly
groupof misses, and lads, full of ardor in
the pursuit Of knowledge, is soon discov-
cred to be the "school cabinet" or COL
lection of minerals, plants, shells, insects,
drawings. penmanship needle work, and
specimens Of many other departments,
both Of nature and art.
An enquiry, how so large and valuable
cabinet was procured, is almost uniform
ly followed by information from the teach
ers, that beginning was made by speci-
mems procured from the Philadei phia
schools" and that the greater part Of the
collection was made by the pupils of their
own schools. The specimens received
from the city, and yourselves, as many of
you are aware, from what has been pre-
pared by your hands, are foliums, impress
sions ofleaEes, minerals and drawings -
such as geometrical figures, and repre-
sensations of various tools or utensils, and
specimens ofnature, viz: an axe, Ratchet,
knife, trowel, tongs, and iron, funnel, tum-
bier, pear, apple, peach, &c.
In addition to the cabinets, which furnish
much employment and much instruction
10 schools, in this and many ether parts of
our country, l have been glad to find, in
very numerous instances, that every child,
even the smallest in school, was, furnish.
ed with slate, by which they almost en-
tirely avoid the necessity of 1.-THE birch"
By the use Of the slate for exercises in
writing, spelling, drawing, composition,
and nearly every study in school, the pu-
pills find almost constant employment, and
Of course have neither disposition nor
time, to engage in works of disorder and
mischiefby which their fellow pupils are
disturbed. and themselves punished.
one exercise among many others, which
witnessed in children with their states,
was writing the names of such things as
they were acquainted with. viz. the diff
ierent articles IN the second room, various
animals, trees and other vegetables, miner
ais, tools Of mechanics and farmers the
names Of persons they read of in the Ri.
Die and other books. and particularly their
own limbs, organs, &c. &c.
Almost Immediately upOf writing the
names OF objects, pupils commence a "a.
miliar description Of them, which affords
q most delightful exercise, and one by
which they learn almost at the same time.
spelling. penmanship, grammar. rhetoric,
logic, botany. pinernlogy, natural philos-
opy, chemistry, or some other subject of
pseful and entertaining knowledge
wish Iconld know that this was a daily
exereise in each Of he fifty thousand