Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-29
AGRICULTURAL GEOLoGY-No. Xxx.
BIT JOSIAH NOTEBOOK.

Schools gave the first impetus to geological surveys The
impetus thus given has led to legislative action for such sur
veys in almost every State In the Union. BY such action
Of wealth and Of science have been 10
unbounded Thousands upon thousands Of scen
fc collections have been made hosts Of scientific men
have been raised up, scattered whole country
hidden treasures of wealth brought for che special
benefit Of famers and, directly indirectly, Of every Ame
| rican citizen. Az
Ihs unparalleled progress made from such humble Begin
nng the advancement OF these CREST national Objects
science and wealth. renders the completion future progress
the work and ssan schools Of the country,
indeed OF all countries, certain to be furnished with Ca
sISETs or NATuaE Arr % instruments Of primary in
suucuoh mus giving 10 young minds at their start aNer
knowledge real Substantial Ideas instead Of the mere signs Of
ideas As many thousansuch collections have sready been
made by needing the both school and at home
py Inc ad OF these tens and hundreds Of thousands will soon
be added to the number Asleas CAsrsEr or Asa1cUI
TuRAL GEoIoar most inevitably soon be placed in each Of
the hundred thousand Of American schoo,viru.u II M,
literally.
From such provision, four slvsntssss are EVIDENT each
making large returns for the outlay. First increased aua
Ecaion of teache.s-a teachers Such cabinet properv
explained by manual increase knowledge and awaken
mind In any teacher using it. giving increased value to his
instructions far beyond lis cost To certain exert Il
might give to every teacher the advantage of normal
schoo prougn 70 MS own door, and into his eS of
labor Second, 1t would secure effective use Of school
funds Probably complaint toushng schools 10 more uni
versal on either continent than the partial or defective app
cation Of public funds provided for heruse step so GER
tain to awaken general interest," and to enshen the public
mind could not fail to suggest better modss or to corr
rect some defects in applying funds provided for ALL Third
the development OF mineral and other natural COL
ections likely to be made BY any school within week after
receiving cabinet properly labelled arranged and described
must amount to many times s Discoveries would also be
made not unfequeny Of rich ores useful mnea aad beau
ul gemss furnishing valuable to Asners me-
chancs and artists Fourth, the advancement OF farming
interests No step could probably directly or %
efectualy the desire common amonglamers for ascu
uIa science. Every farmer s better farmers sons might
be put in the wsy to their Soils and directed to
the most available resources and the best modes Of improving
them To these four advantages, certain arise from Cab
nets Of Agricultural Geology for Schools many Others might
be added but each of these exceed many times the
cost of the outlay, more cannot be needed
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES four years since the pupils Of The
New York schools were requested by their Superintendent
and Trustees to make collections for their schools and their
homes Within three weeks from the time of that reouest
not less than fifteen thousand Family Museums were COM
menced each containing specimens showing the elements of
mountains rocks, and Soils with other natural and artificial
curosites similar request by Superintendent and Tfus-
tees Of schools generally through the couny mus. soon
render collections Of nature and among the most oo-
mon, they evidently would be among the interesting
Of household utensils. s4