The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-27
From The National Intsllismeer Of May TO-

Messrs. GALES & SEAroN; / am happy 10 inform
you that your request, for the privilege OF placing
In your columns the subjoined letter, from Mrs.
Judge Mclean, has been acceded to by Judge
Mclean. To il is due a word of explanation. Ii
Is not merely the fruit of capacious mind in view
Of great subject but Of the application OF the hand
with the mind to demonstrate the practical toork-
ings of that subject, in calling into action human
powers for supplying human wants-physical in
tellectual, moral, social, religious, immortal.
While in Washington, few weeks since, Mrs.
Mclean and her son, with the families OF several
members of Congress, engaged heartily--as i
would seem every good mother should do-in aid
ing the self instruction of her child. Parents and
children united with great spirit and energy in
preparing collections OF Natural History, especial
ly specimens of Geology and Mineralogy, greatly
aided and enriched by practical illustrations in
Geometry, designed especially to show the forms OF
crystals exhibited in minerals. The result was
not merely instruction, but instruments of selfin
structon, and aiding the instruction Of others thus
causing returning action, the whole producing
results which, Mrs. Mclean remarked, could not
be estimated by money.
of thirteen years, from Pittsburg, since returned
home, richly imbued with the spirit aided by in
struments made by herself, of imparting instruc-
ton to others; also little girl of seven years,
daughter of member of Congress from New York,
who has collected classified, arranged, and label
led principally by her own hands, more than
hundred minerals, showing not only the elements
and structure of the earth, but the most valuable
earth. This same little girl of seven years, princi-
pay under the instruction of another of ten years,
has also prepared, by her own hands, illustrations
in geometry showing the nature, ratio OF increase,
and various combinations of the cube, of course
Practical Mensrati0n; also the elements of mechan-
ISM both of the heavens and of the earth embrac-
ing the orbits of the planets insect, architecture,
and especially the beautiful science Of crystallo-
graphy; thus bringing strikingly under the same
view the simplicity and vastness, and of course the
perfectness OF the works OF God.
portfolio referred to in the letter was made by
several young girls in one of the Washington Pub
| lie Schools, in charge of Mrs. Wells lately Miss
Washington, of the George Washington family
1t was ornamented in worsted work, with several
beautiful and appropriate designs, with the super
scrption: "For Mrs. Judge MCLEAN The con-
tents of the portfolio consisted of Drawings, Writ
| ing, Needlework, Geometrical Illustrations, &c.
These were prepared partly by the pupils of several
of the Washington Public Schools, with number
from the little seven year old friend of Mrs.
Mclean, referred to but principally by pupils Of
| the Public Schools of New York, some of which
have, three times out of four, been taken to be the
work of an engravcr, rather than that of pupils in
the regular course of common school instruction.
Their excellence is fully explained by remark of
one of the most skiful teachers in those schools,
viz: "My girls are very apt to grow careless in
| ing specimens to send abroad, when they always
do their best" 1t is proper here to remark that
| within five years past many thousand specimens
of the work of the New York pupils have been sent
abroad not only to every section of our country,
but to many sections of all countries. This work
of the New York Public Schools has not only given
them, in many respects, the very first place among
the schools of our country, but shows the principal
| origin and cause of the prevailing and pervading
interest now existing in our country for universal
education, especially thorough knowledge of the
most practical sciences, applied to the most practi
cal purposes in the daily pursuits of all classes and
| all sections of the human family.
With the request that you will pardon the length
| of this explanation, intended to be embraced in
a few words, remain, gentlemen, your often OBJ
| liged friend, JOSIAH HOLBROOK.