The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-14

pr. <afk Convention Of Faefsrners and
-1iosephers, IN Pants and Pcsaio0ats.

~4lOo0PmcIU, N CAmuo anu ECG41OO1eos
For the last four days the usually quiet little city
Of Newark hiss presented an extraordinary hustle
and movement arising from the presence of couple
Of hundred professors of isms- male, female, and
Bloomers-who bad convcssd there discuss phi
losephy and woman's rights, under the title OF
"The American Association for the Advance
ment of Education" All parts of this sec
tion of the Union have contributed to fur
nish members to the convention but the great
bulk of them, of course, halls Aom New England,
prolific of such intellectual monstrosities. These
people seem to labor under the haucination that
they are engaged in matters of the last Importance
to the present and all future generations, and that
it will be entirely owing to their exertions if the
world does not turn awry on its axis, and all the
men, women and children Of this continent, ire
trievably fall into state Of ignorance and imbe-
cility deplorable than that of the barbarians
for whose enlightenment they annually export
scores of missionaries and Bibles by the million.
The present is the fourth convention held by the
association-the subject of their deliberations and
orations, at the present time, being the relative
value Of the old and systems of collegiate edu
cation With this their text and object of con-
vocation, We have four day consumed in twad-
die and humbug, having little, if any, reference to
the point before them; and Of the result Of
this great display viii only be q new illustration Of
the old metaphor Of the mountain in labor.
The truth is that the addle- headed theorists and
yeformers who put themselves forward in this and
other such isms," peculiar to this section of coun
try, are actuated by no other motive apart from
that common to i'll. balanced minds, namely an un-
healthy craving for notoriety and desire to swell
out their natural proportions, and magnify their
petty Importance like the frog in the fable, even
though morally, they may be menaced with the same
fate. If the members Of this association who have
been attempting to figure conspicuously in the
vention nationally sincere in the objects they
pretend to contemplate, they would depute their
duties to committee Of practical experienced men,
who have made the education Of youth their study
and profession, and the dullest Of whom would be
competent to make wiser suggestions, and more SEN
sble regulations, than the combined wisdom of this
enlightened body Of visonaries. Mr.. Emerson may
make long winded unintelligible speeches about
class books and text books, and may probably have
some general vague ideas Of the management of
public schools; but he would have shown just rs
much good sense, if he had secured the brilliant
services of his qnonadm protege, Lola Monies, to
lecture before the august assembly, and advance
her projects for the culture Of the youthful mind and
the proper education, in literature polite accomplish
ments ard morality, of the future mothers Of Ameri
Madame, the Countess, was not engaged in her
professional duties, and would, p.obaby if invited
have ,ondescended to enlighten the obuse nellects
of those dull Drained dreamers, and given them n
lesson from which much advantage might have
been derived but perhaps the vanity of those who
played the principle roles in the Newark comedy
prevented them extending invitation to Lola, lest
the pale glimmering Of their own genius should be
totally ecpsed by the comparative splendor of that
great and shining light As it is, however, they
have only given the public an evidence Of their
Stiffness and incompetency to discharge those duties
they have been so ridiculous rs to assume. The
youth Of America will not be cramped, even by the
drag chains sought to be put upon their intellectual
progress by such sold fogies as constitute the
ciation and who have, perhaps, forgotten anything
sensible that they may have learned in their own
satchel days. and are now utterly oblvious and ig
norant Of the elastic springs of the youthful mind
''The world is governed too much is wise saying,
and has just much application to the little occu
pants Of the school room as to those children ofa
larger growth who play their part the stage oflfe
We would commend the maxim to the Association
for the Advancement of Education" The very best
way, gentlemen, you can carry out the design Of your
society il to do absolutely nothing and then education
in this country will 60 on in spite Of you fchanges
ofsystem are necessary, apply yourselves to pract-
OIL men, and depute to them what little authority
to interfere you invested with but. in the
Of common sense, don't be striving to put your
fingers in the pie, but just attend to your bust
ness.
convention Of ladies and boomers was also in ses
sion in Newark-under the direction in chief of Miss
Catherine her-contemporaneousy with that Of
the male rcformers We know not what subjects
came under discussion by this fair and spirited
semblage; but probably they prattled about every
conceivable topic, from petticoats and psntaloons
to kossuth and Intervention. Comparatively sen.
sible, however, were the members Of the feminine
conclave, since they lad the modesty to keep
their proceedings private, and to exclude the re-
porters Of the PRESS though we dare say that their
speeches and resolutions evnced greater degree
Of good sense than that which distinguished the
other body. They committed great oversight,
however, in not making the Countess of Landsfeldt
president, as she would have been able and willing
to let in great food of light on their mar.
row ideas. The proceedings Of the convention
terminated last night, and we would counsel the
members, in all sincerity, and regard for their cha
racters, rs sensible men, never to commit such q
ridiculous piece Of folly as to hold another CONVEX
ton, and repeat the farce we have just seen them
perform in Newark.
The FOURTEENTH PHALAYx IN NEW JERSEY
GREAT News FOR SUMNER ExCURsIoSIsTs Within
few hours travel of this city has existed fo several
years, most interesting communit, Of men and
women, whose social ideas and usages differ. in many
essential respects, from those of ordinary lile but
who enjoy greater share Of pleasure, happiness
and freedom frcm restraint, than falls to the lot Of
every day humanity This association is termed the
North American Pbalanx, and has been formed on
the socialist plan of Owen, Fourier St. Simon, and
philosophers of that school Not only has the great
Of our citizens been hitherto ignorant Of the